Leamington condemned Bradford (Park Avenue) to their first defeat of the season despite a late rally from the West Yorkshire side.

The hosts started the game on the front foot, piling a lot of pressure on Leamington as they looked to assert their dominance early on.

Chris Dawson and Jake Beesley had shown signs that an impressive partnership was developing during the win over Blyth Spartans, and they picked up from where they left off against the Brakes.

They combined well to release Beesley in the opening three minutes and the forward won a corner when he was felled by James Mace. Nicky Clee’s delivery found Shane Killock, but the defender’s header was hooked away from danger by Jamie Hood.

Beesley then connected with a free-kick delivery from Nicky Wroe but looped his header over the crossbar.

The on-loan forward was the target of several deliveries and he headed narrowly wide minutes later when he connected with a Ben McKenna cross.

Leamington began to grow into the game as the half wore on and caught their first glimpse of goal when Matt Stenson headed wide after stooping to meet a Joe Clarke cross.

The hosts’ best opportunity came barely a minute later when Stenson rattled the crossbar with a header and Jamie Hood’s follow-up was blocked.

The chances seemed to breathe life into Leamington and the latter stages of the second-half were much more closely-fought.

Connor Taylor found space on the left-hand side of the box but blasted wide despite being in acres of space.

Dawson had an opportunity to open his Bradford account when Ryan Toulson drilled a cross in from the right, but he leaned back and blazed over.

With half-time looming, the brakes found another gear and took the lead with a devastating counter-attack. Toulson challenged Callum Gittings but the deflection was picked up by Stenson, who accelerated and tucked the ball away in the bottom corner.

The hosts started the second-half in similar fashion to how they finished the first and doubled their lead just four minutes after the restart. Shane Killock could only clear a corner as far as Gittings om the edge of the box, who rifled into the bottom corner.

Stenson then made an incisive dart into the box but fired wide under pressure from Luca Havern.

Stenson made his way into the box again moments later and this time, found the target. Drench was helpless as the forward’s well-struck effort flew past him and nestled in the bottom corner.

Adam Nowakowski was introduced on the hour mark and began causing problems instantly. He chased a seemingly lost cause before winning possession and pulling back to Oli Johnson, who delivered for Beesley but watched as the forward flicked wide.

As Bradford looked to defy the odds and overturn the deficit, they piled bodies forward in a desperate search for opportunites. A Beesley header was hooked off the line and McKenna drove an effort into the clutches of Breeden.

The winger then unleashed a curling effort towards goal that flew barely an inch wide of the post.

Nowakowski brought down a lofted pass from Conor Branson magnificently, but lifted a half-volley over the crossbar.

Late drama then ensued as Killock connected with Jamie Spencer’s cross and caused the roof of the net to bulge with a powerful header.

Barely a minute later, McKenna delivered the ball on a plate for Johnson and the striker steered home.

Hope of a comeback, however, was killed when Dwyer converted past Drench with a neat finish after escaping Killock.

Leamington: Breeden (c), English, Bowen, Clarke, Hood, Mace, Dunbar, Gittings, Stenson (Dwyer 75’), Edwards (Magunda 69’), Taylor (Steele 80’).

Unused substitutes: Morris, Obeng.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Toulson (Johnson 45’), Ross, Wroe (Spencer 58’), Killock (c), Havern, McKenna, Branson, Beesley, Dawson (Nowakowski 61’), Clee.

Unused substitutes: Atkinson, Boshell.

Referee: Scott Simpson

A brace from recent loan recruit Jake Beesley made it back-to-back victories for a Bradford (Park Avenue) side riding high on a wave of confidence.

Beesley arrived on a season-long loan from Salford City prior to Bradford’s final pre-season friendly, and fired his new club to an impressive victory with two cool finishes.

An early error from Luca Havern allowed Dan Maguire to get in behind the Bradford defence early on, but after pulling back to the edge of the box, could only watch as communication broke down between Jamie Holmes and Kieran Green. The former’s shot was delayed and subsequently blocked by Shane Killock.

The hosts did threaten in the opening exchanges and Conor Branson received an early booking after clipping the legs of an advancing Holmes in the 9th minute.

Despite signs of attacking potency from Alun Armstrong’s Spartans, it was Bradford that took the lead when Beesley rounded Peter Jameson and slotted into a vacated net.

The goal seemed to light a spark in Bradford, who began to ask more questions of a Blyth backline that proved to be prone to lapses in concentration.

Beesley wriggled away from Nathan Buddle before nodding into the path of Nicky Wroe, who lost his footing at the crucial moment and saw his tame effort collected by Jameson.

When Blyth did advance forward, they failed to maintain composure in front of goal and Jarrett Rivers fired his effort straight into the clutches of Steven Drench after finding space on the right-hand side of the 18-yard box.

Robbie Dale, making his 601st appearance for the Spartans, won a free-kick in a dangerous area after being felled by Chris Dawson but drove his effort into the wall.

Connor Oliver took the next free-kick that was won moments later, but Drench held his dipping strike.

Dawson, operating at the front of Bradford’s midfield three, was a constant thorn in Blyth’s side and cut the hosts open with a defence-splitting pass that found Nicky Clee. Clee’s low-driven effort, however, was beaten away by Jameson.

Beesley eluded his marker to run in behind Blyth’s defence when the game reached the half-hour mark and looked to round Jameson again. Despite leaving defenders in his wake, Beesley couldn’t beat Jameson this time and was shepherded wide before the goalkeeper won possession with a slide tackle.

As half-time approached, Blyth enjoyed some opportunities of their own and Dan Maguire raced through on goal after Havern misjudged a hopeful punt forward. Despite having just the goalkeeper to beat, Maguire fired wide to the frustration of the Blyth supporters.

A clearance from Wroe was then badly misjudged by Sean Reid, allowing Beesley to race through on goal in similar fashion to how Maguire had moments earlier. The forward, however, couldn’t add to his tally and rifled wide.

With a minute remaining until the half-time whistle, Havern was forced to make a crucial block on the line to prevent a powerful effort from Rivers nestling in the bottom corner.

HALF-TIME: Blyth Spartans 0-1 Bradford (Park Avenue)

The hosts emerged with a heightened sense of urgency after the break, and Bradford were forced to weather an early storm. Michael Liddle’s strike took a deflection off Maguire and changed the direction of the ball, forcing Drench to be alert and scramble across to save.

The Bradford stopper then pulled off another magnificent save, denying Holmes by tipping his thunderous effort over the crossbar.

After a snapped corner flag caused a brief stoppage, the action was resumed and Blyth continued to pile pressure on Bradford. A series of efforts on goal, however, were blocked as the visitors defended with admirable resilience.

A catalogue of errors from Blyth’s defence enabled the tide to turn in Bradford’s favour, and Beesley saw a well-struck effort hooked off the line after Buddle misjudged a Killock clearance.

After a brief spell of Bradford dominance enabled by sloppy Blyth defending, momentum shifted once again and Mark Bower’s side returned to the back foot for the final fifteen minutes.

Drench was forced to scurry across his line and thwart Liddle, who tested the goalkeeper with a series of long-range efforts from the left.

Midfielder Jamie Spencer entered the fray for Bradford in the 84th minute, providing a much-needed injection of energy. He registered an assist after just a minute on the pitch, drilling in a cross from the left and finding Beesley, who poked home.

Blyth produced a rapid response as Reid stooped to meet a delivery from the left and steered a header past the outstretched glove of Drench.

As Blyth bodies piled forward, Bradford had to defend with desperation. Drench was able to send the ball deep into the hosts’ half with a goal-kick when Bradley Fewster nodded over from an Adam Wrightson cross, and it proved to be the end of the late onslaught.

The Yorkshire side will be keen to continue their excellent start to the season when they visit Leamington on Saturday.

FULL-TIME: Blyth Spartans 1-2 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Blyth Spartans: Jameson, Nicholson, Liddle, Green, Buddle, Reid, Rivers (Wrightson 86′), Oliver, Maguire, Holmes (Fewster 90′), Dale (c).

Unused substitutes: Watson, Horner, Skirpan.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Toulson, Lowe, Wroe, Killock (c), Havern, McKenna (Ross 73′), Branson, Beesley, Dawson (Spencer 84′), Clee (Johnson 65′).

Unused substitutes: Boshell, Nowakowski.

Referee: Andrew Kitchen

 

A sensational free-kick from Ben McKenna gave Bradford (Park Avenue) an opening day victory over Brackley Town.

Kevin Wilkin’s side knocked Bradford out of the play-offs last season, but McKenna’s sublime strike ensured that the West Yorkshire side emerged victorious this time.

The hosts set the pace early on, and recent loan recruit Jake Beesley forced Danny Lewis to beat away a powerful effort in the opening five minutes after he had dispossessed Luke Graham.

Nicky Wroe then stung the palms of Lewis with a thunderous strike from the right, and Graham was forced to blast clear after the effort was parried.

Mark Bower will have been pleased with the slick nature of Bradford’s passing in the early exchanges, and his side believed they should have had a penalty when Beesley was seemingly shoved in the back by Gareth Dean.

Brackley showed glimpses of their ability to cause problems going forward in the first-half and Bradford debutant Conor Branson had to make an excellent sliding challenge to thwart Matt Lowe, who had accelerated away from Wroe.

Saints stopper Lewis then had to be alert to tip Chris Dawson’s close-range effort over the crossbar as pressure began to mount on the hosts.

Opportunities continued to fall to the hosts as Brackley could only clear a corner as far as the edge of the 18-yard box, where Danny Lowe was waiting to drill towards goal. His effort, however, flew narrowly wide.

The tempo of the game slowed as the interval approached, but Ben McKenna produced a moment of inspiration on the stroke of half-time to edge Bradford ahead. Beesley was bundled over by Graham on the edge of the box, and McKenna stepped up to strike past a helpless Lewis.

The action wasn’t as enthralling after the break, and chances were few and far between. Lee Ndlovu headed wide after meeting Lowe’s cross and that was as close as Brackley got to troubling Steven Drench in the early stages of the second-half.

Jamie Spencer, a replacement for the ill Dawson, slipped through to Ryan Toulson who fired wide under pressure from Glenn Walker.

In the final twenty minutes, Brackley pressed forward more frequently and began to pile bodies forward in search of the elusive equaliser. Substitute Luke Fairlamb demonstrated impressive trickery on the left flank to evade the challenge of Toulson but his cross was steered away from danger by Luca Havern.

Drench then spilled a Walker delivery but Havern was once again on-hand to blast clear before Ndlovu could capitalise on the goalkeeper’s error.

Daniel Nti saw a strike from around 15-yards out blocked superbly by Shane Killock, before Ndlovu blazed over the follow-up.

Three minutes into stoppage time, a Shane Byrne delivery found Connor Franklin, but his header was blocked by his own teammate, Lee Ndlovu.

Bradford held on and celebrated a thoroughly-deserved victory on the opening day of the 2018/19 campaign.

FULL-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 1-0 Brackley Town

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Toulson, Lowe, Wroe (Boshell 90′), Killock (c), Havern, McKenna, Branson, Beesley, Dawson (Spencer 50’), Clee (Johnson 72’).

Unused substitutes: Ross, Nowakowski.

Brackley Town: Lewis, Lowe, Franklin, Byrne, Graham (Fairlamb 63’), Dean (c), Walker, Armson, Smith (Nti 66’), Ndlovu, Murombedzi (Myles 76’).

Unused substitutes: Walker, Hall.

Referee: Aaron Williamson

Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC ended their pre-season campaign in fine style with a victory against Vanarama National League outfit Barrow AFC.

The away side started well and had the first opportunities of the game, but Josh Kay and Raul Correia were both denied by Bradford stopper Steven Drench.

Mark Bower’s men, wearing their new home kit for the first time, were chasing the ball down well in the final third, forcing defensive hesitations at the back. But the Avenue failed to capitalise on them.

Ben McKenna looked lively down the right wing and linked up well with new loan signing Jake Beesley. With his first chance, the striker could only head over from ten yards.

Despite Correia failing to find the target from close range, Bradford went down the other end of the pitch and McKenna’s low driven shot was well saved by Firth from 16 yards.

HALF-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 0-0 Barrow AFC

After the break, the Avenue came close to scoring the opening goal but a Trialist’s strike was well saved by Firth. From the resulting corner, Luca Havern saw his shot easily caught.

After a flurry of substitutions from
both teams and half-chances for the Bluebirds, Bradford did break the deadlock.

Continuing his fine form, McKenna got his first goal in the green and white. A superb piece of play from a substitute Trialist saw him deliver a teasing delivery to the back-post, and McKenna calmly tapped the ball home from close range.

Minutes later, it was a proud moment for the club as the hosts doubled their lead. Once again McKenna was involved. His pull-back was side-footed into the roof of the net by Horsfall College of Sport scholar Matthew Rowntree to the delight of him and the home supporters.

The final whistle blew to signal the end of the game and the end of pre-season for Bradford.

The league action returns next Saturday when we host Brackley Town in the Vanarama National League North at the Horsfall Stadium (3pm).

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench (Trialist 81), Toulson, Lowe, Spencer, Branson, Havern, McKenna, Boshell (Nowakowski 71), Beesley, Dawson (Rowntree 74), Trialist (Trialist 54).

Subs not used: Ross, Ali.

Scorers: McKenna (79), Rowntree (85).

Barrow AFC: Firth, Brown (Barthram 66), Jones (Molyneux 66), Taylor, Granite, Elsdon, Hindle, Rooney, Correia, Kay (Burgess 66), Waterston (Mulholland 66)

Sub not used: Pollard

Huddersfield Town’s youthful side lifted the Yorkshire Rose Cup after a 2-0 victory at the Horsfall Stadium. 

The first opportunity of the half fell to Jamie Spencer, who stooped to meet Ryan Toulson’s cross but headed over the crossbar.

Ben McKenna was a thorn in Huddersfield’s side throughout and began causing problems within the first five minutes. He burst past Mason O’Malley with explosive pace but saw his low-drilled cross steered away from danger by Romoney Crichlow-Noble.

However, it was the visitors that broke the deadlock when Tom Bell struck from long-range and found the top corner despite watching Steven Drench get a fingertip to it.

Spencer had another opportunity to convert with his head when Nicky Wroe’s in-swinging cross found the young midfielder, but his effort flew over the crossbar and his blushes were spared with the raising of the offside flag.

McKenna combined well with Bradford’s trialist forward to release Toulson down the right wing, but the defender’s low drive was fired narrowly wide of the post.

The Terriers had a golden opportunity to double their lead when Aaron Rowe squared to Jordy Hiwula, but the first-team forward couldn’t find the target with his strike.

Spencer lifted a cross into the box from the right that appeared dangerous but eluded the head of an on-rushing Danny Boshell.

Hiwula found himself in a similar situation to when the earlier chance was presented to him, but blasted into the clutches of Drench from the left-hand side of the box.

HALF-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 0-1 Huddersfield Town

Bradford introduced another trialist after the break and his first touch of the ball saw him blast over the crossbar from close-range after the ball fell kindly in the box.

The miss was followed up by a second opportunity shortly after, as Wroe’s corner delivery found Luca Havern in the box. The defender’s header, however, flew narrowly over the woodwork.

McKenna then found a trialist on the left flank with an inch-perfect pass, but the latter’s effort was blocked after he cut-in and darted into the box.

Chris Dawson then threaded through to McKenna, who forced Gabriel Rosario to make an excellent save as pressure began to mount on the visitors.

The Terriers did remain in contention despite the pressure and almost doubled their advantage when Olly Dyson burst through the Bradford midfield and forced the goalkeeper to palm wide of the post.

Dawson found more space in forward positions in the second-half and did so in the 75th minute but rifled wide of the post from the edge of the box.

Huddersfield had a flurry of opportunities late on but failed to convert any, and were let off the hook when O’Malley blocked a Ross Boyle cross that looked destined to find Jordan Botwood.

The visitors doubled their lead in stoppage time as Scott High converted a penalty that was won by Kit Elliott.

FULL-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 0-2 Huddersfield Town

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench (Trialist 45′), Toulson (Boyle 87′), Lowe (Ridley 78′), Wroe, Branson, Havern, McKenna, Boshell (Trialist 45′), Trialist (Nowakowski 61′), Dawson (Rowntree 78′), Spencer (Botwood 87′).

Huddersfield Town: Rosario, Jackson, O’Malley, Gibson, Crichlow-Noble, High, Dyson, Bell, Obiero, Rowe, Hiwula.

Substitutes: Spratt, Davison-Hale, Eli, Bamford, Raymond, Danaher, Elliott.

Referee: Elliott Swallow

An injury to Horsfall College of Sport scholar Lewis Johnson brought a premature end to Bradford’s sixth pre-season friendly.

James Bicknell’s Campion provided the opposition for what was a close-fought yet good-natured encounter until the abandonment.

The first opportunity of the afternoon fell to Campion’s Alex Cussack, who volleyed wide after meeting Leon Hurles-Brook’s cross from the left.

After an bright start from the hosts, Bradford began to find their rhythm and Jamie Spencer was unlucky to see his teasing delivery elude the outstretched leg of a trialist by mere inches.

Two Bradford trialists then combined well before sending one through on goal, but Danny Brown recovered well to make a last-ditch challenge.

The hosts, however, continued to pose a threat and almost opened the scoring when Talent Ndlovu struck with power from the edge of the eighteen-yard box. Fortunately for Bradford’s trialist goalkeeper, the effort flew narrowly wide of the post.

Omar Habeeb then slipped through to Cussack, who opened up to shoot but was challenged strongly by the recovering Spencer.

Shortly after thwarting Cussack in front of goal, Spencer fired Bradford into the lead with a long-range effort that rattled the post before nestling in the bottom corner.

Campion were rallied by the opener and replied instantly, drawing level thanks to a chipped effort from Hurles-Brook.

Aiden Day almost edged Campion ahead on the stroke of half-time but his effort from around 25-yards failed to find the right side of the post.

HALF-TIME: Campion 1-1 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Campion’s tempo quickened after the break and James Bicknell’s side were on the front foot instantly. Hurles-Brook forced Bradford’s newly-introduced trialist stopper to scramble across and save his thunderous effort early on in the second-half.

A golden opportunity then fell to Adam Nowakowski, who headed over from a corner despite beating his marker in the air.

Jason Davis was introduced to the right-hand side of Campion’s midfield after the interval and caused endless problems with his incisive darts down the wing. An audacious half-volley from deep on the right hammered the woodwork before dropping into the grateful clutches of Bradford’s goalkeeper.

Davis then turned provider, delivering the ball on a plate for Ben Bodle but watching as the latter blazed over from just inside the six-yard box.

It was then the turn of the visitors to come close to taking the lead in sensational fashion, as a trialist shook the crossbar with a dipping free-kick from distance before Nowakowski headed over the rebound.

Mark Bower’s side did eventually regain their lead, as scholar Ross Boyle accelerated down the right flank before pulling back to a trialist, who steered past Declan Lambton.

Two Horsfall College of Sport scholars, Matthew Rowntree and Jordan Botwood, then linked up well to send the latter through on goal. Lambton, however, was alert to the danger and pounced at Botwood’s feet before the young forward could strike.

With nine minutes remaining on the clock, a collision between Lewis Johnson and Jason Davis left the former on the ground. After receiving treatment for a lengthy period, the referee abandoned the game.

After visiting Bradford Royal Infirmary, it was confirmed that the young defender had suffered ‘significant’ ankle ligament damage and would begin rehabilitation with Sports Rehabilitator Tally Clayton and specialists from the BRI after resting for a number of days.

Campion A-A Bradford (Park Avenue)

Campion: Lambton, Hassan, Farnhill, Ndlovu, Hall (c), Brown, Aitken, Day, Cussack, Habeeb, Hurles-Brook.

Substitutes: Kendall, Bodle, Davis, Parchment.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Trialist (Trialist 45′), Boyle, Ridley, Spencer, Nowakowski, Branson (L. Johnson 45′), Trialist (Boshell 61′), Trialist (Ali 74′), Trialist (Trialist 61′), Trialist (Botwood 74′), Trialist (Rowntree 61′).

Referee: James Price

Bradford (Park Avenue) clinched the Donald Bell Trophy with an emphatic 15-0 win over the Yorkshire Regiment’s footballing representatives. 

Mark Bower, once again, used the fixture as an opportunity to assess numerous trialists and give valuable game time to a string of first-team players. Ten changes were made at the half-time interval, with goalkeeper Steven Drench being the only player to complete the full 90 minutes.

The scoring was opened after just three minutes, and in bizarre fashion. Two trialists rattled the woodwork in the space of ten seconds before the ball cannoned off a third trialist and found its way into the back of the net.

Ben McKenna looked extremely lively in the opening exchanges and almost doubled Bradford’s lead with a low drive from the edge of the box. With the ball looking certain to nestle in the bottom corner, a deflection took the sting out of the effort and enabled Brandon Greaves to save.

Mark Bower’s side soon had a second as Greaves palmed an Adam Nowakowski header into the path of Gianluca Havern, who hammered home the rebound.

It wasn’t long before the ball was in the back of net again, as a Bradford trialist squared to another trialist, who converted past Greaves.

Spectators watched fifteen Bradford goals but the fourth was certainly the most impressive. Nicky Wroe split the Yorkshire Regiment defence with an excellent pass that was latched on to by McKenna, who maintained his composure before chipping over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

The visitors did catch a glimpse of goal in the first-half, but Lee Shaw’s long-range effort flew wide.

Wroe added a fifth for Bradford on the stroke of half-time, demonstrating exceptional technique to fire past Greaves on the half-volley after a Ryan Toulson cross was only cleared as far as the edge of the 18-yard box.

HALF-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 5-0 Yorkshire Regiment

Ten new outfield players emerged for the second-half but were even more ruthless than the first ten had been. A trialist latched on to a punt forward before calmly dispatching past Greaves barely a minute after the restart.

Horsfall College of Sport scholar Bradley Oliver then got in on the act, rifling into the roof of the net to make it 7-0 to the thoroughly dominant hosts.

Five minutes later, Oli Johnson weighed in to stretch Bradford’s advantage to eight, latching on to a perfectly weighted pass from Jamie Spencer before steering past Greaves.

There was barely a minute between the eighth and ninth goal, as a trialist poked home after a brief scramble in the box to put Bradford on the verge of double-figures.

The plucky visitors, however, almost pulled one back in the 58th minute. James Kenworthy dispossessed Shane Killock following a brief lapse in concentration from the defender and prepared to shoot, but was thwarted by a vital block from Lewis Johnson.

The rampant hosts hit double figures on the hour mark when a trialist ran beyond the Yorkshire Regiment’s backline after a superb through-ball from Danny Boshell before rounding the goalkeeper and passing into an open net.

Oli Johnson had already etched his name on the score sheet and turned provider to tee up a trialist, who slotted past Greaves to take Bradford’s tally to eleven.

The tricky forward then left the pitch, leaving Bradford to play with ten men for the remaining 25 minutes This didn’t deter the hosts, who remained on the front foot and netted their twelfth shortly after. Nicky Clee slid the ball through to a trialist, who found the bottom corner with a composed finish from just inside the 18-yard box.

The tally was soon taken to thirteen, as a trialist advanced down the right flank before pulling back to another trialist, who slotted past Greaves with an placed effort.

Two trialists then combined well to clinch Bradford’s fourteenth, as one timed his run to perfection before meeting a cross from the other and providing a neat finish.

The fifteenth and final Bradford goal came from defender Shane Killock, who arrived at the back-post to meet a delivery from the right and bundle over the line.

The full-time whistle eventually put the visitors out of their misery, who worked tirelessly in the gruelling heat but struggled to compete with the National League North side’s quality on the ball and energy levels.

FULL-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 15-0 Yorkshire Regiment

Bradford (PA) first-half: Drench, Toulson, Lowe, Wroe (c), Nowakowski, Havern, McKenna, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist.

Bradford (PA) second-half: Drench, Onion, Clee, Killock, Spencer, Trialist, L. Johnson, Trialist, Boshell, O. Johnson, Oliver.

Yorkshire Regiment: Greaves, Couilliard, Friendo, Burr, Foster, Wroot, Jassey, Kenworthy, Townsend, Shaw, Laverick.

Referee: Luke Watson

Bradford succumbed to a late equaliser for the second consecutive game as Hemsworth Miners Welfare salvaged a draw.

Once again, Mark Bower fielded two different sides in each half as he continues to assess his squad ahead of the 2018/19 season. Ten trialists featured over the course of the 90 minutes and Academy talents Matthew Rowntree and Hassan Ali both made appearances. New recruit Danny Lowe was also introduced after the break to give him his first outing in a Bradford shirt.

The hosts, managed by former Horsfall stalwart Wayne Benn, won a series of corners in the opening exchanges and pinned Bradford in their 18-yard box for a prolonged spell.

It wasn’t long, however, before the National League North side found their stride and began to ask questions of the Hemsworth backline. A trialist will have been disappointed to have struck into the Hemsworth goalkeeper’s midriff after rounding the right-back.

Nicky Clee, despite operating at left-back, offered glimpses of his attacking potency with some marauding runs and neat exchanges around the opposition’s 18-yard box. A particularly slick exchange with a trialist opened space for him to shoot from around 20-yards but the effort was blocked.

Ben McKenna forced a defender to hook clear a teasing cross from the right as pressure began to mount on Hemsworth, and Clee forced the opposition’s stopper to scramble across his goal to save a well-struck effort from distance.

After a period of sustained Bradford pressure, the threat that the hosts posed became apparent as the half-time interval drew near. Hemsworth’s right winger whipped in a dangerous delivery from the right that longed for the slightest of touches to poke it over the line, but it eluded the on-rushing forward.

HALF-TIME: Hemsworth Miners Welfare 0-0 Bradford (PA)

Bradford flew out of the blocks after the interval and were fired into the lead by a trialist after just two minutes. He tucked the ball away in the bottom corner with admirable composure after some neat build-up play.

The same trialist then almost netted his second, drifting wide to the left before audaciously attempting to chip the goalkeeper. His effort, however, clipped the woodwork and dropped behind for a goal-kick.

He then had another opportunity to add to his tally after bursting past Hemsworth’s centre-back pairing, but his low-drilled effort flew wide of the post.

A lapse in concentration from Danny Boshell then enabled a Hemsworth forward to disposses him and run at Adam Nowakowski, but the towering utility man challenged strongly.

As the game entered its final 20 minutes, Bradford continued to pin Hemsworth back and press forward in search of a two-goal cushion. Academy midfielder Hassan Ali’s struck the post with a low drive that, fortuitously for the goalkeeper, bounced into his arms.

The hosts soaked up the pressure before being rewarded for their patience in the 83rd minute, as a Hemsworth forward poked home following a brief scramble in the box to salvage a draw.

FULL-TIME: Hemsworth Miners Welfare 1-1 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Bradford’s next pre-season test sees them face EFL opposition in Mansfield Town on Thursday 12th July.