Bradford (Park Avenue) continued their impressive form in the Northern Premier League East Division on Saturday, claiming a 3-1 win over Consett AFC on Saturday. The victory not only extended their unbeaten run to six games (five wins and a draw) but also pushed them back into the play-off places, and put the Green Army at the top of the form table.
The match began with the hosts threatening early, as Will Constantin managed to break into the box, only to be denied by on-loan Avenue goalkeeper Jack Hall, who reacted sharply to keep the scores level.
Avenue responded swiftly and made the most of some sloppy defending from Consett. Connor Shanks capitalized on a defensive error but saw his initial effort saved by Harry Moss. However, the breakthrough came after 14 minutes when Shanks headed home a superb delivery from Paddy Sykes, leaving Moss with no chance.
Sykes then turned from provider to scorer just before half-time, punishing another defensive lapse by slotting the ball home with a composed finish to double Avenue’s lead and give the visitors a comfortable cushion heading into the break.
Consett came out strong in the second half, earning a penalty shortly after the restart when Will Shaw was fouled in the area. Brandon Holdsworth stepped up to convert the spot-kick, giving the home side hope of a comeback.
However, Craig Elliott’s men showed their resilience and were determined to secure all three points. Avenue’s steelier mentality was evident as they weathered Consett’s pressure and continued to pose a threat on the counter.
The decisive moment came with just under 10 minutes left on the clock when Jimiel Chikukwa played a perfectly weighted through ball to Sykes, who smashed it past Moss to net his second goal of the game and seal the victory for Avenue.
The win sees Avenue move up to fifth in the table on 23 points, just one point behind second-placed Cleethorpes Town after Belper Town suffered a setback.
Next up, Bradford (Park Avenue) return to the Horsfall Community Stadium on Tuesday night for a top-of-the-table clash against league leaders Emley AFC. With the potential to close the gap to just three points off the summit, Avenue face a tough challenge against a high-flying Emley side that has lost just once in the league this season and boasts the division’s best attack and defense.
Come on down and back the boys as they look to continue their superb run and climb the table!