Two dubious red card decisions paved the way for FC United of Manchester to comprehensively defeat Bradford Park Avenue at Broadhurst Park.

Mark Bower shuffled the pack once again, making three changes to the side that were held by Alfreton Town a fortnight ago. Nicky Clee dropped out of the squad altogether, whilst Gianluca Havern and Danny Boshell settled for a place on the bench. Shane Killock replaced Havern in the heart of defence, Jamie Spencer returned to the midfield and Wayne Brooksby regained his spot on the right flank after overcoming his injury troubles.

The first-half certainly lived up to the pre-match expectations, as the boisterous supporters from both sides were treated to a thoroughly entertaining, end-to-end encounter.

The attacking intent of both sides was evident, with both the hosts and visitors showing little hesitation in piling bodies forward.

The hosts looked to test Ed Hall early on, but the young stopper demonstrated why Mark Bower has placed faith in him with a series of saves.

Jamie Spencer almost broke the deadlock in spectacular fashion, but his long-range piledriver was tipped over the crossbar by Lloyd Allinson.

Former Avenue cult hero Tom Greaves then came close to opening the scoring for the hosts, sliding and failing to capitalise on a Craig Lindfield cross that evaded him by mere inches.

Chaos then ensued in the closing minutes of the first-half as Matt Hill received his marching orders to the shock of the ground, after seemingly making a strong-but-fair challenge.

The resulting free-kick was rifled into the top corner by Jeff King, stunning Avenue and their supporters.

Moments later, the shock turned to fury as Oli Johnson was dismissed in as equally bizarre fashion for a foul that didn’t seem deserving of the punishment it received.

Avenue struggled to remain in contention after the break and were dealt a further blow in the shape of an injury to Adam Boyes, who joined Rob Atkinson in the treatment room after the defender’s earlier withdrawal.

The hosts doubled their advantage with another King free-kick, with a deflection helping it on its way as Hall was rendered helpless.

With Avenue camped in their own half, substitute Gerard Garner hammered home from close-range after the ball broke loose in the box to extend FC United’s lead.

A Shane Killock handball presented the hosts with another opportunity to find the back of the net and King converted from twelve yards with an audacious chip down the middle.

Avenue supporters remained loud and passionate, but their side faced an uphill battle to regain a foothold in the game and predictably failed to do so.

The game finished 4-0, with Mark Bower sympathetic towards the travelling supporters at the final whistle after two red cards marred the encounter.

FC United of Manchester: Allinson, Senior, Higham, Kay, Hughes, Fagbola, Crawford (Garner 65’), Irwin, Greaves, King (McCarthy 79’), Lindfield (c) (Glynn 36’).

Unused substitutes: Racchi, Tattum.

Bradford Park Avenue: Hall, Ross, Hill, Wroe (c), Atkinson (Toulson 26’), Killock, Brooksby, Vidal, Boyes (Mulhern 45’), Johnson, Spencer (Boshell 55’).

Unused substitutes: Havern, Smith.

Referee: David Underwood

SPOILS SHARED BETWEEN AVENUE AND ALFRETON

The spoils were shared between Avenue and Alfreton in a thoroughly entertaining league showdown.

Mark Bower shuffled the pack for the visit of Alfreton Town, clearly looking to avoid a repeat of the performance he witnessed in the defeat to North Ferriby United. Ed Hall replaced Steven Drench between the sticks, Mark Ross and Javan Vidal returned from injury, and Matt Hill and Danny Boshell reclaimed their starting berths.

Avenue started brightly and managed to get in behind the Reds defence on several occasions early on. Some intricate passing on the edge of the box led to Vidal breaking down the right and cutting back across goal, but Alfreton managed to hack clear.

Oli Johnson was then denied two opportunities to test Tobias Johannson, firstly by the linesman’s flag and then by a headed clearance that turned Nicky Clee’s cross away from the forward’s direction.

Avenue were rewarded for their early dominance when they struck first with fourteen minutes on the clock. Defender Matt Hill opened his account for the season with a drilled effort across Johannson that flew into the bottom corner, giving Avenue a deserved lead.

Alfreton embarked on a hunt for a quick response, but Nyal Bell’s close-range strike was palmed away by the returning Hall.

Avenue had a golden opportunity to double their lead after the ball fell kindly for Boshell in the box with Johannson stranded, but former Avenue forward Chris Sharp made a dramatic goal-line clearance to deny his former teammate.

The hosts continued to pile on the pressure but were dealt a sickening blow when Tom Platt unleashed a vicious strike from long-range that flew past Hall.

Despite conceding against the run of play, Avenue remained on top. Clee wriggled past two defenders before teeing up Johnson, who will have been disappointed to have struck the post with his tame effort.

Alfreton then took a shock lead, as Sharp found the top corner with a spectacular long-range strike that rendered Hall helpless.

Half-time brought an incredibly frustrating opening 45 minutes to a close, and the Avenue players left the pitch with disbelief etched upon their faces.

Avenue emerged after the interval with a sharpened clinical edge and were eventually rewarded for their continual pressure. Mark Ross whipped in a delightful delivery from the right that Johnson leapt to meet and nod home from close-range.

Vidal then had a golden opportunity to edge Avenue ahead but couldn’t stretch further enough to prod home an Adam Boyes cut-back.

Alfreton introduced winger Brendon Daniels in the 71^st minute and the winger made an instant impact by swinging a free-kick past Hall with his first touch to regain the Reds’ lead.

Frank Mulhern was brought on in the aftermath of Daniels’ goal, and he came agonisingly close to drawing level with a curled free-kick that fizzed just wide of the post.

Despite the set-backs, Avenue continued to pose a threat going forward and soon found a breakthrough when Johnson’s cut-back was bundled home in a frantic scramble.

A dramatic finale ensued, but neither side could find the winning goal and it finished 3-3.

Bradford Park Avenue: Hall, Ross, Hill (Smith 80’), Wroe (c), Atkinson, Havern (Killock 69’), Vidal (Mulhern 74’), Boshell, Boyes, Johnson, Clee.

Unused substitutes: Toulson, Spencer

Alfreton Town: Johansson, Topliss, Allan (c), Platt, Wagner, Green, Jennings (Daniels 70’), Baxendale (Disley 76’), Sharp, Bell (Westcarr 66’), Marshall.

Unused substitutes: Elliott, Keane

Referee: Benjamin Speedie

 

 

Valiant Villagers stun Avenue

Rock-bottom North Ferriby United stunned Bradford Park Avenue with a 1-0 victory at the Horsfall Stadium.

Mark Bower shuffled the pack despite a respectable draw with Salford City on Tuesday, re-instating Ryan Toulson, Dany Pybus and Jamie Spencer to the starting eleven. On-loan Guiseley forward Frank Mulhern was handed his first start, whilst Matt Hill and Adam Nowakowski dropped to the bench. Veteran midfielder Danny Boshell was withdrawn from the squad altogether, as was Javan Vidal due to injury.

Avenue were on the front foot from the first whistle and dominated possession during the early stages but failed to muster an effort on goal as the Ferriby backline held strong. Jordan Cooke made a vital interception after a through ball from Oli Johnson almost allowed Pybus to race through on goal.

It was the young midfielder on loan from Bradford City that was the first to pull the trigger, but he saw his effort deflected wide before it could reach Ross Durrant.

The visitors then took a shock lead with 19 minutes on the clock as Lewis Collins darted into the box and drilled his effort past Steven Drench.

Avenue’s frustrations were intensified shortly after conceding, as Frank Mulhern saw a close-range effort blocked and Jamie Spencer was booked for a late and unnecessary challenge.

The hosts finally tested Durrant after thirty minutes of trying to do so, as Pybus forced a strong palm away from the ‘keeper after Johnson had threaded through to the young loanee.

Frank Mulhern was then hauled down in the box after a wrestle with the Ferriby centre-backs but saw his appeals for a penalty dismissed by the referee.

The robust forward almost weighed in with an assist shortly after, as he powered past Koyo Keyi before Adam Boyes failed to steer his cushioned volley on target.

Boyes then had another opportunity to equalise after a marauding run from Johnson allowed him to find Mulhern in the box. The Irish striker teed him up before Boyes’ shot was deflected wide.

HALF-TIME: Bradford Park Avenue 0-1 North Ferriby United

Avenue carved open the Ferriby defence twice within the opening five minutes of the second-half, as Mulhern blasted wide after rounding Cooke and Durrant before Nicky Clee forced a good save from the Villagers’ stopper two minutes later.

Luca Havern then got on the end of a deep cross but could only head into the clutches of a grateful Durrant.

Avenue continued to be let down by their final ball, but Adam Smith provided some quality in the final third following his introduction. He turned Cooke inside-out on the left before crossing to Rob Atkinson, who headed wide.

The Villagers continued to pose a threat on the break and Joe Walker was thwarted by a poor touch that allowed Drench to dive at his feet after the substitute had raced through.

Bobby Johnson then stung the palms of Drench with a powerful drive from distance that was originally spilled by the ‘keeper before being scooped up.

Avenue piled forward in droves as the clock ticked but couldn’t find a way past Durrant, and Ferriby even came close to extending their lead in stoppage time when Drench made a fantastic stop to deny Collins.

FULL-TIME: Bradford Park Avenue 0-1 North Ferriby United

Avenue visit Brackley Town next week, with the action kicking-off at 3pm.

Bradford Park Avenue: Drench, Toulson (Hill 76’), Clee, Wroe (c), Atkinson, Havern, Mulhern (Nowakowski 68’), Pybus (Smith 59’), Boyes, Johnson, Spencer.

Unused substitutes: Hall, Killock.

North Ferriby United: Durrant, Cooke, Keyi, Johnson, Piercy, Mail, Deacey (Dunkley 56’), Forrester (Walker 56’, replaced by Clappison 82’), Harrison, Collins, Lofts.

Unused substitutes: Exall.

Attendance: 423

Referee: Adam Herczog

Dudley double salvages point for Salford

A late brace from substitute Anthony Dudley rescued a point for the league leaders Salford City after Avenue had taken a shock 2-0 lead.

Mark Bower placed emphasis upon experience with his team selection, bringing the seasoned trio of Matt Hill, Danny Boshell and Adam Nowakowski into the starting eleven. Shane Killock, Jamie Spencer and Dan Pybus dropped to the bench whilst Ryan Toulson was dropped from the squad altogether. Guiseley defender Rob Atkinson had joined the club on loan that day, and was thrust into the action with an immediate start for his new club.

Atkinson showed little hesitation in giving supporters a glimpse of what to expect from him in the early stages as his first touch in Avenue shirt came with a full blooded challenge on Tom Walker.

The first-half was far from a thrilling spectacle, but the biggest chances of the opening stages fell to the hosts. Nathan Arnold powered an effort narrowly wide of the post and Jack Redshaw forced Steven Drench into an impressive stop after being played through on goal.

Tom Walker demonstrated his ability to trouble a defence with his set-piece deliveries throughout and Avenue were forced to desperately scramble away several dangerous crosses in the first-half especially. Danny Livesey leapt to meet a particularly teasing one but headed over.

Nicky Clee drew the first save of the game from Max Crocombe after being teed up by Adam Boyes, but saw his drilled effort held comfortably by the Salford stopper.

Avenue continued to frustrate Salford’s talented frontline and soon reaped the rewards for their patience when Nicky Wroe reacted quicker than his marker to latch on to a Clee cross before steering past Crocombe. The opening goal followed a lull in entertainment but was the catalyst for an increase in excitement in the second-half.

Salford came flying out of the blocks after the break, and Ibou Touray’s low cross somehow evaded the touch it needed to bundle it over the line.

However, Avenue held strong yet again and doubled their advantage with 53 minutes on the clock. Crocombe spilled a shot into the path of a lurking Adam Nowakowski and the midfielder made no mistake in steering home to extend the visitors’ deserved lead.

Mark Bower’s side even had opportunities to put the game beyond Salford with a third, and Boyes was unlucky to see his curling effort skim the post after bringing down a Clee cross in the box.

Crocombe, now defending the goal in front of the travelling fans, had been mercilessly mocked at half-time and would have made his situation worse had his poor clearance been capitalised on by Wroe, whose through ball to Oli Johnson was intercepted.

With their desperation becoming increasingly apparent, the hosts began to pile the pressure on Avenue’s backline. The tough nut of Avenue’s defence did, however, eventually crack. Drench parried an effort that was scurried away by Frank Mulhern, but Dudley pounced before his marker to poke home after the clearance fell to the back post.

After a period of sustained pressure, Dudley rescued a point for Salford in dramatic fashion in added time, rifling a shot into the top corner after a strong run down the right flank.

Salford City: Crocombe, Nottingham, Touray (Haughton 56’), Burton (Dudley 64’), Livesey, Maynard (c), Arnold, Mafuta, Phenix (Askew 64’), Redshaw, Walker.

Unused substitutes: Allen, Dieseruvwe.

Bradford Park Avenue: Drench, Vidal (Mulhern 65’), Hill, Wroe (c), Atkinson, Havern, Nowakowski (Spencer 76’), Boshell, Boyes, Johnson, Clee.

Unused substitutes: Killock, Pybus, Smith.

Referee: Sam Mulhall

Booked: Hill, Johnson (Avenue).

 

Despondent Avenue beaten in Blyth

Three unanswered Blyth Spartans goals condemned Avenue to their fourth defeat of the calendar year on a bitterly disappointing afternoon at Croft Park.

Mark Bower’s only change from the previous week was a forced one, with Wayne Brooksby being withdrawn due to injury and replaced by Javan Vidal. Veteran midfielder Danny Boshell was handed a place on the bench after serving his suspension for a red card against Nuneaton Town.

The score line would suggest that the encounter was predominantly one-sided, but Avenue had their fair share of opportunites and fell victim to some questionable officiating. Blyth, however, were ruthless in front of goal and made the visitors pay for some calamitous defending.

After a cagey opening ten minutes, the first two chances of the afternoon fell to the hosts in quick succession. Dan Maguire struck low from close-range but was denied by a Luca Havern block before Kieran Green’s follow-up was saved by Steven Drench.

Avenue then self-destructed after competing well in the early stages, as Shane Killock’s headed back pass failed to reach Drench and was latched on to by Maguire. He was brought down by the goalkeeper, which allowed Dale Hopson to step up and convert the resulting penalty.

After a brief spell on the backfoot in the aftermath of conceding, Avenue grew in confidence and began to threaten a Blyth backline that they had experienced so much joy against in the reverse fixture.

Oli Johnson burst past Michael Liddle down the left flank before rifling an unstoppable effort into the top corner, but the linesman’s flag brought a premature end to celebrations.

Vidal then turned sharply in the box before shooting goal wards, but Peter Jameson held comfortably despite a potentially dangerous deflection.

The offside trap proved to be an obstacle for the visitors throughout, and Dan Pybus was unimpressed by the raising of the linesman’s flag after the loanee latched on to a through-ball from Jamie Spencer.

Despite the improvement in Avenue’s performance as the second-half progressed, defensive fragilities proved costly as a sickening blow was dealt on the stroke of half-time. Robbie Dale rounded Ryan Toulson before cutting back to Jarrett Rivers, who steered past Drench from around 10-yards out.

Mark Bower had clearly challenged the players to test Jameson on a more frequent basis in the second-half, and a long-range drive from Spencer was spilled by the goalkeeper barely a minute after the restart. Unfortunately, the Blyth stopper pounced on the ball before a lurking Adam Boyes could.

The travelling Avenue supporters were then given a scare when Maguire jumped to block a Drench punt and would have been furious had the Avenue stopper not recovered to make a fantastic save.

Keen to regain a grip on the game, Bower introduced Frank Mulhern to the fray and the substitution was shortly followed by Adam Smith’s arrival as Avenue looked to haul themselves back into contention.

The dugout, the players and supporters alike were then left dumbfounded by the referee’s decision to book Johnson, who had been hauled down in the box after racing through to meet a Mulhern through ball. The official cited simulation as a reason for the issuing of the yellow card, only adding to the frustrations.

Johnson very nearly responded with a goal, as his header looked destined to make the net bulge before Jameson plucked it out of the top corner in impressive fashion. The chance followed a terrific delivery from Smith, who demonstrated his ability to trouble defenders after replacing Vidal.

The game, however, was put beyond Avenue when Hopson evaded two challenges by cutting in from the left before firing past Drench. Johnson and Boyes both came close in the latter stages, but Avenue couldn’t penetrate the sturdy Blyth backline. Avenue have an opportunity to bounce back on Tuesday, as they visit the Peninsula Stadium to take on Salford City.

Blyth Spartans: Jameson, Liddle, Watson (Gorman 84’), Green, Buddle, Hutchinson, Rivers (Langstaff 79’), Reid, Maguire (Wrightson 79’), Hopson, Dale (c).

Unused substitutes: Mullen, MacDonald.

Bradford Park Avenue: Drench, Toulson, Clee, Wroe (c), Killock, Havern, Vidal (Smith 65’), Pybus (Mulhern 57’), Boyes, Johnson, Spencer (Nowakowski 72’).

Unused substitutes: Hill, Boshell.

Referee: John Matthews

Booked: Green, Buddle (Blyth), Johnson (Avenue).

Attendance: 806

Written by Tom Coates

Syers strike sinks Avenue

Avenue suffered a 1-0 defeat to an in-form Darlington side, despite the Quakers being reduced to ten men in the latter stages.

Clearly satisfied with the convincing manner of Monday night’s rout of Gainsborough Trinity, Mark Bower named an unchanged squad for the visit of a Darlington side that hadn’t lost since the 10^th of January.

Avenue started brightly and had opportunities to break the deadlock in the early stages. Wayne Brooksby drew an early stop from Aynsley Pears and Luca Havern leapt to meet a corner before clipping the crossbar with a powerful header.

The visitors grew in confidence as the game progressed and began to start asking questions of the Avenue backline. Havern was forced into making a crucial sliding interception to prevent Josh Gillies latching on to a Stephen Thompson through-ball shortly before Reece Styche rifled over with an audacious overhead kick.

Thompson was a persistent threat for the Quakers and came close to etching his name on the scoresheet with a low drive from distance.

The visitors emerged for the second-half with a quicker tempo than they had demonstrated previously, and a breakthrough seemed imminent. Styche squandered a golden opportunity to edge Darlington ahead when he bundled a Galbraith cross past the wrong side of the post.

They did, however, break the deadlock when the dangerous Thompson embarked on a mazy run down the right before pulling back to David Syers. The midfielder then steered past a helpless Drench to give Darlington a deserved lead.

The midfielder then came close to doubling his tally when he broke clear of his marker in the box, but he headed wide with only Drench to beat.

Avenue finally found themselves on the front foot for a brief spell as the final whistle approached, but Jamie Spencer’s tame effort couldn’t find the back of the net after Nicky Clee cut the ball back to the midfielder.

Frank Mulhern offered a spark in Avenue’s tiring frontline, with the forward’s introduction rejuvenating Mark Bower’s side in the final fifteen minutes.

Further hope was offered when Darlington’s Stephen Thompson saw red for a second bookable offence after a dive, but the visitors held on to seal an impressive victory.

Bradford Park Avenue: Drench, Toulson (Mulhern 68’), Clee, Wroe (c), Killock, Havern, Brooksby (Vidal 50’), Pybus (Nowakowski 76’), Boyes, Johnson, Spencer.

Unused substitutes: Hill, Smith.

Darlington: Pears, Trotman, O’Hanlon, Turnbull, Heaton, Galbraith, Gillies (Brown 84’), Wheatley, Styche (c) (Mills 89’), Syers, Thompson.

Unused substitutes: Scott, Bancroft, Saunders

Attendance: 773

Referee: David Underwood

Five-star Avenue hammer sorry Trinity

After enduring a winless January, Bradford Park Avenue returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion with a 5-0 rout of Gainsborough Trinity.

Mark Bower shuffled the pack for the visit of 19^th-placed Gainsborough Trinity, with on-loan midfielder Dan Pybus making his first start at the Horsfall Stadium and fellow loan recruit Frank Mulhern being named a substitute. Wayne Brooksby returned from a hamstring injury to reclaim his spot on the right-hand side of midfield, and Nicky Clee switched to left-back in a surprising change.

The hosts took an early lead via the returning Brooksby, who rifled into the top corner after pouncing on a Clee corner that had rebounded off the post.

Avenue took advantage of the early momentum, piling forward in droves as they hunted for a second. Nicky Wroe and Clee both saw long-range piledrivers deflected wide, and Shane Killock almost weighed in with a rare goal but volleyed over from just inside the box.

Brooksby looked extremely lively in his first outing since the defeat to York and stung the palms of Henrich Ravas with a powerful drive in the early stages.

The dominant home side soon found a way past Ravas again, with Adam Boyes providing one of his most unique finishes of the season to double Avenue’s lead. His perfectly executed cushioned volley allowed him to continue his rich vein of goalscoring form.

The Trinity goalkeeper was called into action shortly after conceding, as Ryan Toulson’s cross was headed back across goal by Boyes and into the path of Oli Johnson. However, the forward couldn’t direct his low drive past Rivas who made an impressive save.

Boyes came agonisingly close to netting again when he raced through to latch on to a through-ball, but saw his deft touch parried wide.

The visitors’ best chance of the first-half came when Shane Clarke struck goal wards from distance, but the midfielder’s effort fizzed wide of the post.

Pybus certainly made an impression on his debut following a loan move from Bradford City, and almost marked his arrival with a goal but saw his strike blocked on the line despite rounding a stranded Rivas.

Trinity threatened through Liam King late on, but the half-time whistle blew with Avenue firmly in the driving seat.

The hosts made a dream start to the second-half despite the visitors ringing the changes with a double substitution at the interval, as Boyes dispossessed Nathan Stainfield before coolly dispatching past Rivas.

Somewhat surprisingly given the comfortable nature of the lead, Mark Bower’s side continued to pile pressure on their opponents and Johnson forced another vital stop from Rivas after latching on to a Pybus flick.

Pybus then well and truly introduced himself to the Avenue faithful with a marauding run down the left, with the youngster evading the challenges of several players and covering an impressive distance before striking the post and allowing Brooksby to poke home the rebound.

Former Avenue favourite Craig King hammered an effort against the post as Trinity began to appear desperate, but the visitors couldn’t find a way past an Avenue defence that seemed impenetrable.

Avenue then entered dreamland as Johnson cut-in from the left before drifting back out wide and hammering a left-footed strike across goal and into the bottom corner.

The struggling visitors rarely threatened in the latter stages, and Avenue saw the game out in relatively comfortable fashion. It could have even been six when Clee darted into the box but saw his teasing delivery fly across the box without receiving the elusive finishing touch.

Another former Avenue player, Tom Davie, headed goal wards with two minutes remaining on the clock but Steve Drench held comfortably before the curtain was drawn on a mesmerising performance.

Mark Bower gave a special mention to those that worked on the pitch prior to the game in his post-match interview, stating that the Horsfall surface was in “great condition” in spite of heavy downpours. He also hailed the impact of debutants Dan Pybus and Frank Mulhern and referenced another new arrival in Adam Smith when discussing the “bench full of quality” at his disposal.

Bradford Park Avenue: Drench, Toulson, Clee, Wroe (c), Killock, Havern, Brooksby (Smith 68’), Pybus (Vidal 73’), Boyes (Mulhern 71’), Johnson, Spencer.

Unused substitutes: Hill, Nowakowski.

Gainsborough Trinity: Ravas, Vann (Stainfield 45’), Davie, Richards (Bateson 45’), Beatson, Jacklin, C. King, Clarke (Russell 60’), Jarman, Horsfield, L. King.

Unused substiutes: Wells, Simmons.

Booked: Brooksby, Mulhern (Avenue), C. King, Bateson, Jarman (Trinity).

Referee: Alex Kirkley

Avenue survive Boro rally to earn point

Bradford Park Avenue picked up a valuable point at the LDJ Solicitors Stadium, holding Nuneaton Town to a 0-0 draw despite being reduced to ten men in the second-half.

Ryan Toulson made his long-awaited return to action after a lengthy battle with injury to replace the injured Mark Ross at right-back, and Danny Boshell was drafted into the starting eleven due to the absence of Wayne Brooksby. New signing Adam Smith was named as a substitute having finalised the terms of his move to the club yesterday.

Neither side found their rhythm in the early stages of the match, but there was a reason to protest barely three minutes in. Nicky Clee split the Nuneaton defence open with a through-ball that eventually overran, but goalkeeper Dean Lyness appeared to have handled the ball outside of the area when collecting. Nevertheless, the referee ignored the appeals of Avenue players and waved play on.

Half-chances came in the form of tame efforts from Clee and Oli Johnson, with the latter seeing his shot held comfortably by Lyness, and Clee firing wide.

The best chance of a relatively mundane opening 25 minutes fell to the hosts, with Tom Elliott’s deflected effort from a tight angle coming very close to finding a way past Steven Drench.

Nuneaton grew in confidence as the half progressed, and Jordan Nicholson rattled the crossbar with a well-struck attempt. This was quickly followed by a golden opportunity for Ashley Chambers to open the scoring after Elliott squared, but Shane Killock flew across to make a sensational block and deny the hosts.

The dangerous Daniel Nti was a persistent threat to Avenue’s backline, but saw his drilled effort tipped over the crossbar by Drench in impressive fashion.

Both Avenue and Nuneaton flew out of the blocks after the interval, with both sets of players desperate to notch and edge their sides ahead. James Ferry and Nicky Wroe were the first to arrow shots goalward, but both saw their frustrations heightened with failure to hit the target.

The encounter soon became an end-to-end affair, and Adam Boyes will rue his missed opportunity for days to come after he volleyed over from a Jamie Spencer cross. Clee also came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock, forcing Lyness to pluck his dipping free-kick out of the top corner.

Mark Bower heaped praise upon the performance of goalkeeper Drench after the game, and rightfully so with the goalkeeper clawing away two dangerous strikes from Nti in a matter of minutes.

Avenue, however, suffered a devastating blow when Danny Boshell received his marching orders for a second bookable offence. Boshell was penalised for two second-half fouls that saw him take an early bath for the second time this season.

Pressure mounted upon the visitors after the sending off, as Nuneaton piled forward in droves in an attempt to capitalise upon their man advantage.

Despite losing Boshell, Avenue’s backline remained sturdy. Killock gave a masterclass in the art of dogged defending, and Drench palmed away every effort that was fired his way.

Avenue managed to survive the Boro onslaught, and supporters even caught a glimpse of new signing Adam Smith in added time before the referee blew his whistle.

Mark Bower’s play-off chasers face what could prove to be an even sterner test next week, taking on table-toppers Salford City at the Peninsula Stadium.

Nuneaton Town: Lyness, Wildin, Heaton, Elliott, Johnson, Digie, Ferry, Beswick, Chambers, Nicholson, Nti.

Unused substitutes: Etheridge, Dielna, Mitchell, Ashton.

Bradford Park Avenue: Drench, Toulson, Hill, Wroe (c), Killock, Havern, Spencer, Boshell, Boyes (Smith 90+3’), Johnson (Nowakowski 81’), Clee (Vidal 75’).

Unused substitutes: Hall, Knight.

Booked: Clee, Killock, Havern, Boshell (Avenue), Beswick (Nuneaton)

Sent off: Boshell (Avenue)

Referee: Thomas Kirk

 

Minstermen condemn Avenue to back-to-back defeats

York City 2-1 Bradford Park Avenue

Goals either side of half-time from Jon Parkin and Amari Morgan-Smith saw off a valiant Avenue despite a stoppage-time strike from Adam Boyes.

Avenue were boosted by the returns of Shane Killock and Nicky Clee to full fitness, and both were recalled to the starting eleven for the club’s first clash with York City since 1969.

It was the visitors that started on the front foot, pressing high up the pitch and looking to force mistakes at every opportunity. Jamie Spencer was the first to direct an effort towards goal, but saw his shot deflected wide.

York, however, grew into the game and caught their first sight of goal when captain Sean Newton’s chipped effort forced Steven Drench to tip the ball over the crossbar.

A marauding run from Aidan Connolly down the left then allowed him to pick out Adriano Moke, who could only find the side-netting with his low-struck effort.

York were beginning to ask questions of Avenue’s defence, but Mark Bower’s side remained very much in the game. Wayne Brooksby saw a speculative drive from distance held by Adam Bartlett, and Clee’s effort from a similar range also came close to nestling in the bottom corner.

The encounter was wide open in the latter stages of the first-half, and both Connolly and Matt Hill nearly opened the scoring for their sides with audacious long-range efforts. Connolly’s in particular looked destined to fly past Drench, and the ‘keeper did extremely well to hold a shot that swerved and dipped.

Avenue were dealt a blow when ever-present defender Mark Ross was forced out of action with a hip problem, but continued to pose a threat going forward. Spencer’s close-range strike was parried by Bartlett, who scurried across to blast the ball out of play before Clee could pounce.

However, Ross’ absence was felt soon after his departure when Connolly threaded through to the lumbering Parkin, who burst through on the left before coolly steering past Drench to give York the lead.

Avenue were keen to overturn the 1-0 deficit after the break, the second-half’s first chance fell to them when Spencer rifled towards goal and skimmed the crossbar with his long-range piledriver.

Vastly-experienced attacking talent Amari Morgan-Smith entered the fray for the hosts early in the second-half, and his introduction saw York regain control of the game. He troubled the Avenue defence with a mazy run that saw him skip past three defenders, before getting in behind minutes later and catching his first glimpse of goal with an over-hit effort.

It was Amari-Smith that eventually doubled York’s advantage, bundling home at the back-post from a teasing cross to settle a few nerves in the crowd.

Avenue responded by piling forward in droves, leading to Brooksby and Johnson having chances to pull one back. Both failed to capitalise, with the latter’s strike taking a series of deflections before going wide.

An injury to Brooksby forced Mark Bower’s hand once again, but Adam Nowakowski’s introduction added energy to a frontline becoming increasingly frustrated by denials at the hands of Bartlett and the woodwork.

Boyes came agonisingly close to netting on his former stamping ground, but his header could only draw another fantastic save from the Minstermen stopper.

Boyes did manage to get on the scoresheet against the club he came through the ranks at, reacting quickest to pounce on a parried Johnson effort, but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation.

Mark Bower confirmed in his post-match interview that Brooksby had tweaked his hamstring, and that the winger could face a spell on the sidelines lasting ‘a couple of weeks at least’. Regarding Mark Ross, he stated that the defender has been suffering from a hip problem for the past few weeks, and that the club ‘will have to see how quickly it settles down’.

Avenue return to the Horsfall Stadium next week, welcoming Gainsborough Trinity.

York City: Bartlett, Law, Ferguson, Bencherif, Burn, Moke, Newton (c), Rowe (Morgan-Smith 52’), Parkin, Correia (Gray 82’), Connolly (Parslow 90+4’)

Unused substitutes: Smith, Simpson.

Booked: Burn, Connolly.

Bradford Park Avenue: Drench, Ross (Vidal 29’), Hill, Wroe (c), Killock, Havern, Brooksby (Nowakowski 68’), Spencer (Boshell 78’), Boyes, Johnson, Clee.

Unused substitutes: Hall, Knight.

Booked: Johnson, Spencer, Boyes, Vidal.

Referee: Simon Mather

 

Match Report

Tom Coates

 

 

 

Avenue slip to 7th after defeat to Moors

A 79th minute strike from the returning Nicky Clee proved to be nothing more than a consolation, as Avenue suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of play-off rivals Spennymoor Town.

Avenue were without ever-present defender Shane Killock after he sustained a back injury on New Years’ Day, with the versatile Adam Nowakowski replacing him in the heart of defence.

The opening stages suffered from a distinct lack of quality all around, but the hosts’ first-half display was poor, even by admittance of manager Mark Bower.

They were punished for a slow start in the 14th minute, when David Foley pounced on a rebound after Mark Anderson had struck the post to edge Spennymoor ahead.

Avenue then squandered a golden opportunity to level proceedings when the ball fell kindly for Oli Johnson in the box. However, the usually clinical forward blasted over from close-range, uncharacteristically of a player who has notched 13 goals already this term.

Moors midfielder Shane Henry looked to test Steven Drench at every opportunity throughout the game, and he saw a left-footed volley fizz barely an inch wide of the post.

Mark Bower’s team talk seemed to rejuvenate Avenue, and the home side emerged a much slicker outfit in the second-half.

Some champagne football allowed Jamie Spencer to dart into the box soon after the restart, before the young midfielder teed up Wayne Brooksby. His floated cross came agonisingly close to meeting the head of an on-rushing Adam Boyes.

As the half progressed, the Yorkshire side began asking more questions of a Moors defence that had been sturdy throughout the encounter. The introduction of Clee seemed to be the spark they needed to begin to take the game to Spennymoor, and the midfielder drew a foul from Matthew Dixon barely five minutes after his arrival by turning the full-back inside out.

Soon after, Clee arrived at the back-post to meet a Vidal cross, only to see his header loop into the grateful clutches of Shane Bland.

Despite seeming the most likely to score, the hosts conceded a second when Chris Mason stooped low to power home a header past a helpless Drench from a whipped delivery.

Avenue began to pile forward in droves after shipping a second, and eventually broke down the Moors backline in similar fashion to how the opposition netted their first. Spencer saw his effort denied, before the ball broke kindly for Clee who made no mistake in steering home.

The hosts continued to knock on the door in the latter stages, with Brooksby and Javan Vidal both rifling shots towards Bland.

However, the visitors held on and left Yorkshire with three points in the bag and their grip on 4th place strengthened

Bradford Park Avenue: Drench, Ross, Hill, Wroe (c) (Vidal 75’), Nowakowski, Havern, Brooksby, Boshell, Boyes (Clee 65’), Johnson, Spencer.
Unused substitutes: Toulson, Hall, Knight.

Spennymoor Town: Bland, Dixon, Mason, Chandler, Chantler, Curtis, Ramshaw, Henry, Taylor, Anderson (Hall 90+4’), Foley (Johnson 73’).
Unused substitutes: Porter, Fewster, Tait.

Attendance: 448

Referee: Garreth Rhodes