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Mark Bower’s only change from the previous week was a forced one, with Wayne Brooksby being withdrawn due to injury and replaced by Javan Vidal.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