Bradford (Park Avenue) retained their grip on top spot in the Vanarama National League North with a hard-fought victory over AFC Telford United.

Supporters were treated to a fast and fiery first-half, during which both sides created several opportunites and tempers threatened to flare on numerous occasions.

The hosts were keen to test Bradford in the opening exchanges and Bucks frontman Daniel Udoh registered the first shot on target of the game after just two minutes. His effort, however, was tame and rolled into the grateful clutches of Steven Drench.

A corner routine taken straight from the Telford training ground then created space for Darryl Knights to shoot, but he fired over the woodwork from a central position.

Telford were soon carved open themselves and Oli Johnson managed to flick over a stranded Andy Wycherley, but saw his effort hooked off the line in dramatic fashion by Shane Sutton.

Nicky Clee threaded through to an on-rushing Lewis Knight, but the Bradford man’s strike was blocked by makeshift left-back Ellis Deeney.

Deeney then almost made an impact at the other end when he connected with Knights’ teasing delivery. Despite having to scramble across his line, Drench held on to the powerful header.

Clee proved to be a thorn in Telford’s side throughout the first-half and found Knight with a superb lofted pass. The on-rushing attacker made an incisive dart into the box before being thwarted by Deeney’s sliding tackle.

Clee then skipped past two players with some deft footwork before teeing up Nicky Wroe, but the midfielder’s shot was diverted away from goal by the outstretched boot of Sutton.

The Bucks began to take control in the late stages of the half yet failed to capitalise on the opportunites they created. James McQuilkin sent two free-kick efforts over the crossbar and Amari Morgan-Smith headed wide after meeting Udoh’s cross.

HALF-TIME: AFC Telford United 0-0 Bradford (Park Avenue)

A collision between Drench and Udoh left both in a heap shortly after the restart and Knights attempted to take advantage. He lifted over the floored duo, but his effort found the wrong side of the crossbar.
Three minutes later, Bradford were ahead through Knight, who tucked the ball away in a vacated net after Wycherley parried Beesley’s curling effort.

Telford’s frustration was clear for all to see and McQuilkin sent a speculative effort wide despite several of his teammates making themselves available.

The trailing hosts desperately searched for an equaliser but found themselves unable to break the visitors down. Bradford’s defence remained resolute, forcing Telford to resort to speculative strikes from long-range.

Deeney escaped Ryan Toulson and teed up McQuilkin, but his audacious attempt whistled wide of the post.

Substitute Ryan Barnet came closer, forcing Drench to pluck his thunderous effort out of the top left-hand corner.

As the game entered its final ten minutes, pressure began to mount upon Bradford. Sutton connected with a corner delivery but nodded wide and Barnett was denied by Drench for a second time, watching his low drive be dropped upon by the Bradford stopper.

Bradford soaked up the pressure heaped upon them and launched a swift counter-attack to seal the three points in stoppage time. Beesley squared to Spencer from the left and the midfielder made no mistake in steering past Wycherley with admirable composure.

FULL-TIME: AFC Telford United 0-2 Bradford (Park Avenue)

AFC Telford United: Wycherley, White, Deeney, McQuilkin, Sutton (c), Smith (Barnett 62’), Cowans, Royle, Morgan-Smith (Daniels 78’), Udoh, Knights (Brown 78’).

Unused substitutes: Bramley, Ceesau.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Toulson, Lowe, Wroe, Ross, Havern, Nowakowski (Spencer 76’), Knight, Beesley, Johnson, Clee.

Unused substitutes: Dawson.

Referee: Aaron Jackson

Attendance: 1,468

Bradford (Park Avenue) crashed out of the Buildbase FA Trophy following a 4-0 defeat to league rivals Altrincham.

In a first-half that yielded little quality from either side, Altrincham provided the cutting edge that separated them from the visitors.

Robins defender Connor Hampson surged forward before forcing Steven Drench to produce and impressive save in the opening five minutes and it wasn’t long until the hosts were ahead.

Danny Lowe bundled Jordan Hulme to the ground, handing John Johnston the opportunity to step up and send Drench the wrong way with a penalty.

Bradford looked to respond swiftly but after Nicky Clee found Jake Beesley with a free-kick delivery, the forward poked into a sea of bodies before the ball was cleared.

Clee, a familiar face at the J. Davidson Stadium, then embarked on a mazy run that saw him skip past three players, but his drilled cross was intercepted by Tom Hannigan.

The Robins continued to look most likely to score and went close through Andrew White, who saw his low drive pushed wide by the outstretched right glove of Drench.

A lapse in concentration from Lowe enabled Johnston to shoot from close-range but Drench was on-hand to spare the defender’s blushes and beat away the winger’s effort.

Altrincham’s lead was then doubled when Josh Hancock rolled into the path of Hulme, who tucked away in the bottom corner in a composed manner.

The visitors did register a shot on target before the half-time whistle blew, but McKenna’s thunderous volley was palmed away from danger by Robins stopper Andrew Thompson.

HALF-TIME: Altrincham 2-0 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Altrincham added to their advantage shortly after the restart when Johnston teed up Josh Hancock and the midfielder curled past Drench from the edge of the 18-yard box.

Johnston then came very close to adding a fourth in similar fashion to how Hancock netted the third, but his curling effort was held by Drench.

A golden opportunity fell Jake Beesley’s way after Oli Johnson darted to the byline and squared, but the forward poked wide from 5-yards out.

Johnson was the provider again when he cut back to an on-rushing Alex Hurst from the left, but the midfielder blasted over the crossbar from just inside the box.

Despite having a comfortable lead, the Robins continued to threaten and almost added a fourth through Owen Dale. He latched on to a punt from Jake Moult before making an incisive dart into the box but dragged wide under pressure from Gianluca Havern.

They carved Bradford open again with twelve minutes remaining on the clock and substitute Kallum Mantack become the fourth Robins player to etch his name on the scoresheet. He arrived at the back post to meet Hulme’s delivery before miscuing his first attempt at a shot but made amends by retaining possession and steering past Drench.

In the final ten minutes, the Robins sat deep within their own half and sprayed the ball around with confidence, safe in the knowledge that they had a comfortable lead. Mark Bower’s side chased relentlessly but failed to cause the hosts any problem in the latter stages.

Altrincham: Thompson, White, Hampson (Densmore 75’), Jones, Hannigan, Moult, Johnston (Mantack 75’), Richman, Hulme, Hancock (Harrop 80’), Dale.

Unused substitutes: Langley, Wynne.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Ross, Lowe (Johnson 58’), Spencer (Wroe 58’), Killock (c), Havern, McKenna, Branson, Beesley (Nowakowski 71’), Hurst, Clee.

Unused substitutes: Toulson, Atkinson.

Referee: Richard Aspinall

HT: 2-0

Attendance: 570

Bradford (Park Avenue) staged a late comeback to clinch a stunning victory over Ashton United.

The hosts suffered an early setback when Bradley Jackson wriggled away from his marker and rifled past Steven Drench.

Bradford looked to respond swiftly but Jake Beesley headed wide after connecting with Ben McKenna’s delivery from the left.

A neat exchange between Matt Hill and Bradley Jackson freed the latter but his cross wasn’t capitalised upon by the on-rushing Ashton attackers.

It didn’t take long for the Robins to double their lead and send the travelling supporters into a frenzy. The outstretched glove of Drench touched Liam Martin’s effort, but he couldn’t prevent the ball nestling in the bottom corner.

An opportunity fell Jamie Spencer’s way after he burst into the box but the midfielder struck into the midriff of Ashton stopper Pilling.

Drench couldn’t keep Martin’s shot out, but he did deny Liam Tomsett, producing a spectacular save to thwart him at point blank range.

Drench had to be alert again as half-time approached, scrambling across his line to hold Matthew Regan’s flicked header.

HALF-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 0-2 Ashton United

Bradford started the brightest after the interval but Nicky Clee’s cross was intercepted after he weaved his way past three defenders.

The makeshift left-back also drilled a free-kick into the wall before McKenna’s follow-up was held by Pilling.

The former occupant of the left-back position at the Horsfall Stadium, Hill, then tried his own luck but fired into a sea of bodies.

Bradford eventually made a breakthrough when Alex Hurst teed up Lewis Knight, allowing the forward to rifle past Pilling from distance and reduce the deficit.

An equaliser followed almost immediately as the ball fell to Shane Killock inside the box and the captain steered into the bottom corner.

A shellshocked Ashton backline were carved open again in stoppage time and Killock netted his second to clinch victory.

FULL-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 3-2 Ashton United

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Ross, Clee, Wroe (Lowe 45’), Killock (c), Havern, Spencer (Nowakowski 71’), Branson, Beesley, McKenna, (Hurst 71′), Knight.

Unused substitutes: Toulson, Atkinson.

Ashton United: Pilling, Lees (c) (Casian-Anghel 90+3’), Hill (Crowther 90+3’), Ashworth, Chalmers, Sheridan, Jackson, Regan, Martin, Tomsett (Kay 78′), Askew.

Unused substitutes: Howarth, Roberts.

Referee: Michael Barlow

Attendance: 474

Bradford (Park Avenue) claimed top spot in the Vanarama National League North despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Curzon Ashton.

The hosts were the first to try their luck, but Connor Hughes sent his long-range effort wide of the post.

They were then given a scare when Jamie Spencer threaded through to Jake Beesley, but the forward miscued his attempt to slide the ball into the path of Oli Johnson.

Supporters eventually saw a shot find the target when Curzon registered the first of the afternoon. Hughes wriggled away from Mark Ross and made an incisive dart into the box but fired into the midriff of Drench.

Bradford made an early substitution in the twelfth minute, introducing former Curzon winger Ben McKenna to the action in place of Johnson.

Lewis Knight received his first opportunity of the game when Conor Branson headed into his path, but his volley looped into the clutches of Nash stopper Cameron Mason.

The most clear-cut chances of the half both fell to Curzon frontman Niall Cummins, who failed to convert on two occasions.

He went one-on-one with Drench after latching on to a long punt but failed to find either side of the goalkeeper. A misdirected header from Nicky Clee then fell at his feet but he poked wide under pressure from a recovering Gianluca Havern.

Nicky Wroe found Beesley with a corner delivery, but the two sides headed into the break level after the forward directed his effort into a sea of bodies.

HALF-TIME: Curzon Ashton 0-0 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Bradford made a quick start to the second-half, carving Curzon open with two neat exchanges between Spencer and Knight.

McKenna then saw a shot blocked by Mason Fawns after being teed up by Beesley.

Wroe pulled the trigger from distance and came within a whisker of finding the top corner, seeing his effort narrowly rise over the woodwork.

The deadlock was eventually broken when Beesley connected with a free-kick delivery from Knight and directed a header past a helpless Mason.

Curzon, however, were back on level terms just four minutes later when Crankshaw latched on to Ryan Brooke’s pass and poked past Drench.

With the wind in their sails, the hosts began to pile bodies forward and Hughes was unlucky to see his strike from the left-hand side fly wide.

The affair became a cagey one as it progressed into its latter stages and neither side could find the spark required to unlock the opposition’s defence.

With three minutes remaining on the clock, chaos descended on the Tameside Stadium as all 22 players and staff came to blows. Bradford’s coaching staff and players alike were infuriated to see a foul on Spencer go unpunished and Curzon were incensed when the midfielder reacted by fouling Daniel Morton. Shane Killock, Spencer and Morton were all booked for their involvement in the fracas.

FULL-TIME: Curzon Ashton 1-1 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Curzon Ashton: Mason, Rowney, Fawns, Hunt (c), Morton, O’Leary, Crankshaw (Wall 90+5′), Ali, Cummins, Brooke, Hughes (Khoury 75′).

Unused substitutes: Merrill, Muir, Boyles.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Ross, Clee, Wroe (Hurst 69′), Killock (c), Havern, Spencer, Branson, Beesley, Johnson (McKenna 12’), Knight.

Unused substitutes: Toulson, Atkinson, Nowakowski.

Referee: Adam Herczog

A makeshift Bradford (Park Avenue) side suffered a heavy defeat to Brighouse Town in the second round of the West Riding County Cup.

Bradford’s starting eleven featured three scholars from the Horsfall College of Sport and four were named as substitutes.

It took just four minutes for Brighouse to take the lead, opening the scoring through Gabriel Johnson’s well-struck free-kick.

The lead was doubled shortly after when Marley Grant capped off a slick attacking move with a composed finish that left Jack Atkinson helpless.

Atkinson did, however, make a crucial save to deny Mohammed Ibrahim at point blank range after the forward connected with a cross from the right.

The Bradford stopper’s palms were then stung by Rhys Jenkinson, who struck low but was thwarted by the goalkeeper.

Bradford first opportunity of the evening fell to stand-in skipper Adam Nowakowski, who raced in to capitalise on a rebound when Matt Smith parried Ben McKenna’s strike. He managed to reach the ball ahead of a scrambling Smith, but the goalkeeper managed to beat away the effort.

The energetic hosts then added a third when Ibrahim fired into the bottom corner from the edge of the 18-yard box.

The third goal seemed to rally Bradford, who pulled one back just a minute after conceding. Danny Boshell delivered from the left and Nowakowski escaped his marker before steering a header past Smith.

Nowakowski almost netted his second mere minutes later but his curling shot failed to beat Smith.

Another opportunity then fell Nowakowski’s way when Chris Dawson found him with a defence-splitting pass, but the Bradford man lifted his effort into Smith’s clutches.

Alex Hurst found himself in a promising position after accelerating away from Sam Wright, but his shot from the left-hand side of the box was blocked by Kurt Harris.

Nowakowski remained a threat to the Brighouse backline and was unlucky to see his thunderous piledriver rattle the woodwork before bouncing on the line and being hacked clear.

HALF-TIME: Brighouse Town 3-1 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Brighouse had no intentions of simply defending their lead and continued to pile bodies forward after the break. Rhys Jenkinson surged forward down the right flank and pulled the trigger but blasted over the crossbar.

Town then added to their advantage when Jack Normanton latched on to Finn Donovan’s delivery and steered past Atkinson.

The confidence of the hosts was evident as they embarked on a hunt for a fifth goal immediately after scoring. Atkinson was forced to react quickly and palm away Harris’ flick before the ball was hacked clear by Joseph Ockerby.

Donovan lifted a cross in from the right and found substitute Ellis Nicholls, but his header found the wrong side of the post.

Bradford scholar Jordan Botwood was introduced in the second-half and drifted into space on the edge of the box but couldn’t find the target with his shot after being teed up by Lewis Knight.

Vill Powell’s side struck again with just two minutes remaining on the clock when James Hurtley headed into Ibrahim’s path, allowing him to fire past Atkinson from close-range.

FULL-TIME: Brighouse Town 5-1 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Brighouse Town: Smith, Jenkinson, Wright, Jones (Nicholls 45’), Harris, Hurtley, Grant (Donovan 60’), Heeley (c), Ibrahim, Johnson (Normanton 63’), Thomas.

Unused substitutes: Haigh, Robinson.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Atkinson, Toulson, Ridley, Rowntree, Holmes, Spencer (Knight 45’), McKenna (Botwood 60’), Boshell, Nowakowski (c), Dawson (Ockerby 66’), Hurst.

Unused substitutes: Garside, Mayfield.

Referee: Jamie Rhodes

Bradford (Park Avenue) swept ten-man York City aside at Bootham Crescent.

The opening ten minutes were cagey, and it was York that found their rhythm first. The visitors found themselves pinned in their own half and Shane Killock was forced to launch himself in front of a Jordan Burrow shot to keep the scores level.

Bradford, however, grew into the game and began asking questions of a disjointed York backline.

Jamie Spencer found Nicky Wroe with a perfectly executed lofted pass but the midfielder lifted his effort over the crossbar.

The Minstermen launched a swift counter-attack but Steven Drench was on-hand to palm Burrow’s flick away from danger at point blank range.

Drama then ensued at Bootham Crescent when York captain Joe Tait saw red. Jake Beesley fell to the ground inside the box after a tussle with Tait and after the defender received his marching orders, a penalty was awarded.

Beesley made no mistake from 12-yards, stepping up confidently and steering the ball past Adam Bartlett.

The lead was nearly doubled when Conor Branson connected with Lewis Knight’s free-kick delivery, but Bartlett held the header.

Branson then tried his luck with a long-range piledriver as the interval approached but his speculative effort sailed over the woodwork.

HALF-TIME: York City 0-1 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Bradford raced out of the blocks after the restart and it didn’t take long for the visitors to add to their advantage. Knight drilled a cross in from the right, enabling Beesley to volley into the roof of the net and pile misery on ten-man York.

Just three minutes later, Bradford netted a third when Spencer’s stunning long-range strike found the top corner in sensational fashion.

As York’s desire for a goal intensified, they piled bodies forward in desperate search of a way back into a game that seemed beyond them.

Adriano Moke pulled back to substitute Jon Parkin, but the robust forward’s shot was blocked by Killock.

The Minstermen eventually found a way through when Sean Newton curled into the top corner from a free-kick.

The hosts then went close through debutant Lewis Hawkins, who saw his thunderous effort tipped over the crossbar by the outstretched glove of Drench.

Bradford remained a threat despite their comfortable lead and Ben McKenna saw a shot blocked after firing into a sea of bodies.

McKenna then notched Bradford’s fourth, firing into the top corner after Knight accelerated away from Allan and squared to the substitute.

Alex Hurst looked set to add a fifth as the full-time whistle approached, but his shot was blocked by Allan after weaving his way past two defenders.

FULL-TIME: York City 1-4 Bradford (Park Avenue)

York City: Bartlett, Law, Newton, Allan, Tait (c), Griffiths (Langstaff 78’), Harris (Bencherif 27’), Moke, Burrow, Wright (Parkin 45’), Hawkins.

Unused substitutes: Ferguson, Dyer.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Ross, Clee, Wroe, Killock (c), Havern, Spencer (Hurst 84’), Branson, Beesley, Johnson (McKenna 51’), Knight (Nowakowski 83’).

Unused substitutes: Toulson, Atkinson.

Referee: Scott Simpson

Attendance: 2, 289 (198 Bradford supporters)

HT: 0-1

Photo: John Rhodes

Bradford (Park Avenue) were held to a 2-2 draw by Darlington at the Horsfall Stadium.

The Quakers posed a much greater threat than they did in the last meeting between the sides, when Mark Bower’s side knocked them out of the Emirates FA Cup.

It took just two minutes for Darlington take the lead, harshly bringing the hosts back down to earth following the high of Saturday’s win over Chorley. Jordan Nicholson exploited a gap in the Bradford midfield to burst through and find the top corner with a curling effort.

Mark Bower was then forced to make an early change when Danny Lowe sustained an injury. Nicky Clee entered the fray and was thrown in at the deep end as the Bradford backline dealt with an early onslaught.

Luca Havern had to be alert to thwart Harvey Saunders after a slick move involving the Darlington forward and Josef Wheatley carved the hosts open.

A miscued clearance from Steven Drench then landed at Luke Trotman’s feet and the full-back teed up Stephen Thompson, who blasted over the crossbar.

The visitors then doubled their lead as Nicholson grabbed his second, capping off a swift attacking move with a composed finish from close-range.

Bradford, however, responded quickly. Lewis Knight dispossessed Wheatley before teeing up Jamie Spencer, who saw two shots blocked. The ball then fell to Knight, whose effort was parried by Hemming into the direction of Oli Johnson, allowing the forward to head home.

A golden opportunity to draw level followed when Spencer drilled across the face of goal, but Branson fired wide after arriving at the back post.

Darlington had no intention of simply defending their lead and came very close to adding a third. Saunders weaved his way past several defenders but was denied by Drench in a one-on-one scenario.

The opposing stopper Hemming then made an impressive stop to keep the scores level, pushing Knight’s driven effort wide of the post.

Bradford eventually levelled proceedings through Nicky Clee, who rifled into the bottom corner after the ball was worked out to the left flank.

The first-half continued to be a poor advert for defending when Bradford gave away a penalty on the stroke of half-time. Havern felled Wheatley but Drench saved Thompson’s spot-kick at full stretch.

HALF-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 2-2 Darlington

Early drama ensued after the break when the visitors began appealing for a penalty within two minutes of the restart. There was a tangle of legs between Knight and Saunders, but the referee dismissed protests.

The tricky Nicholson was a thorn in Bradford’s side throughout the game but Clee made a superb last-ditch challenge to prevent the winger securing his hat-trick.

Nicholson then combined well with Trotman on the right flank but the latter’s shot flew wide.

Bradford appealed for a penalty of their own on the hour mark when Spencer insisted that his shot had struck the outstretched arm of Terrence Galbraith. The referee, however, ignored the fierce protests.

Both sides continued to hunt for the elusive winning goal but the defensive units had been significantly tightened since the half-time interval.

Beesley delivered the ball on a plate for Clee but Jonathan Burn launched himself in front of the thunderous effort.

Johnson then found himself in a promising position after the ball was threaded through to him by Knight, but his shot failed to find either side of Hemming.

It became apparent that the absence of a cutting edge would prevent either side edging themselves ahead as the game entered its final fifteen minutes.

Beesley lifted a powerful effort over the crossbar and Darlington’s Tom Elliott did the same minutes later.

Ben McKenna’s introduction as a substitute re-ignited the spark in Bradford’s frontline and his direct running caused problems on the left flank. He evaded the challenge of Burn before making an incisive dart into the box, but his strike was blocked by a sliding Trotman.

Branson has proven himself to be a goal threat from the heart of Bradford’s midfield but couldn’t weigh in to fire the hosts ahead, nodding over the woodwork after meeting a cross from the right.

A sliced clearance from Shane Killock allowed Nicholson to advance at an alarming pace but a miscued cross left Bradford off the hook as the ball rolled out for a goal-kick.

The hosts were given a stoppage-time scare when Galbraith connected with a teasing delivery from Elliott, but Drench plucked the defender’s volley out of the top left-hand corner.

FULL-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 2-2 Darlington

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Ross, Lowe (Clee 7’), Wroe (McKenna 61’), Killock (c), Havern, Spencer, Branson, Beesley, Johnson, Knight (Hurst 83’).

Unused substitutes: Toulson, Nowakowski.

Darlington: Hemming, Trotman, Elliott, Burn, Hughes, Galbraith, Nicholson, Wheatley, Ainge (c) (Syers 83’), Saunders, Thompson (Henshall 83’).

Unused substitutes: Glover, Hall, Stansfield.

Referee: Aaron Bannister

Attendance: 625

Bradford (Park Avenue) romped to an emphatic 6-0 win over cash-strapped Nuneaton Borough.

The opening ten minutes of the game were frantic as both sides hunted for an early opener.

Enoch Andoh raced to the byline before pulling back to Dior Angus, who could only watch as a deflection diverted his shot away from goal.

After stifling a dangerous-looking Nuneaton attack, Bradford broke swiftly, and Oli Johnson drew an impressive stop from Cam Belford.

Nuneaton’s Andoh then rattled the woodwork after latching on to a loose ball inside the 18-yard box.

Minutes after being denied by Belford himself, Johnson turned provider to tee up Lewis Knight but the Boro stopper produced another save.

Jake Beesley then came close, connecting with Nicky Wroe’s corner delivery but watching as his header looped over the crossbar.

The visitors were eventually rewarded for their pressure when Conor Branson gave them the lead. The midfielder, who is currently in a rich vein of form, was edged wide after rounding Belford but managed to lift the ball into the vacated net from a seemingly impossible angle.

Mark Bower’s side continued to pile pressure on the hosts and Belford did magnificently to tip a long-range piledriver from Jamie Spencer over the crossbar.

Wroe then doubled Bradford’s lead in sensational fashion, shooting from just inside Nuneaton’s half and catching Belford off his line.

The advantage was increased shortly after through Jamie Spencer. After Wroe’s corner delivery was cleared, the ball fell to Spencer and he rifled past Belford.

HALF-TIME: Nuneaton Borough 0-3 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Boro boss Nicky Eaden made a double substitution at the break and for the first ten minutes of the second-half, Nuneaton were on the front foot.

However, the struggling side couldn’t capitalise, and Harry Panayiotou squandered the best opportunity that fell Nuneaton’s way when he fired wide from just outside the box.

Bradford soon regained control of the game and a fourth goal looked inevitable as Nuneaton struggled to cope with their opponents’ attacking threat.

Lewis Knight poked into the path of Beesley but Belford raced out quickly to deny the forward.

Nuneaton were then reduced to ten men after Belford kicked out at Beesley whilst contesting a loose ball. The goalkeeper was given his marching orders and Beesley stepped up to convert the resulting penalty past stand-in stopper Mike Calvely.

The deflated hosts looked even more helpless after Belford was dismissed and soon conceded again.

Debutant Alex Hurst was teed up by Danny Lowe and tucked the ball away in the bottom corner with a neat finish.

He had an opportunity to net his second mere minutes later but couldn’t find the target with a thunderous strike from the left-hand side of the box.

After registering an assist, Lowe was keen to etch his own name on the scoresheet and drew an excellent save from Calvely with a well-struck volley.

Boro were reduced to nine men in the latter stages following an injury to Jack Blackham, allowing Beesley to notch his second and Bradford’s sixth. Adam Nowakowski’s shot was blocked and the ball fell at the feet of the on-loan striker, who steered past Calvely.

FULL-TIME: Nuneaton Borough 0-6 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Nuneaton Borough: Belford (c), Obeng, Davies, Richards, Calvely, Carter (Blackham 61’), Kelly-Evans, Wharton (Panayiotou 45’), McGurk, Angus, Andoh (Baker 45’).

Unused substitutes: Wesolowski, Benjamin.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Ross, Lowe, Wroe (Hurst 68’), Killock (c), Havern, Spencer, Branson, Beesley, Johnson (Nowakowski 71’), Knight (Clee 68’).

Unused substitutes: Toulson, Atkinson.

Referee: Barry Lamb