Lewis Knight broke the deadlock following good work from Adam Nowakowski. The home side doubled their advantage as Regan Booty weaved his way through the Minstermen midfield to slot home from inside the box.

After the break, Jack Redshaw halved the deficit with a well-taken goal. Straight from the restart, Bradford restored their two-goal lead with a rebound from Lewis Knight.

The visitors scored their second of the afternoon through substitute Rob Guilfoyle before Harry Boyes fired a stunning 30 yard strike to seal the win for the Green Army.

With only five minutes on the clock, Nowakowski battled well in the middle of the park and fed a through ball to Knight. The young striker continued his rich vein of goalscoring form by striking a right-footed effort past Pete Jameson from 16 yards.

Knight nearly scored his second of the afternoon. A superb tackle from Matty Downing, who was a late addition instead of Jordan Windass, allowed Nicky Clee to hit a wonderful first time pass to Knight. The Avenue’s number ten got the better of Sean Newton but his shot trickled agonisingly wide.

Despite Steve Watson’s men enjoying the better of possession, they found themselves two goals behind. Booty, with some excellent footwork and skill, escaped three challenges and curled a lovely right-footed effort past Jameson.

The rest of the half belonged to the visitors.

Robbie Tinkler, in the centre of midfield, had space outside the box and forced Dan Atkinson into his first save of the evening.

Michael Duckworth, returning to the Horsfall Stadium, was causing problems with his deliveries from the wing. The right-back crossed the ball into the area, and despite being unmarked, striker Redshaw failed to hit the target from 14 yards.

Again, the visitors looked dangerous from corners and free-kicks but Atkinson wasn’t needed to make a save. In fact, the Avenue could’ve added a crucial third before the break.

Knight, who led the line extremely well throughout the game, took the ball around Jameson, and following good pressure from the defence, Knight was unable to find the net from eight yards.

From the resulting corner, the ball was fizzed towards Mark Ross, but the defender’s header flew just wide of the post.

Watson made two half time substitutions, replacing Olly Dyson and Paddy McLaughlin with Akil Wright and Guilfoyle.

Both teams had a few half-chances that failed to trouble respective goalkeepers until the away side reduced Avenue’s lead.

Redshaw, who was arguably the Minstermen’s best player, looked sharp on the turn, and after driving towards goal, the striker struck a low effort, which appeared to take a deflection and went past Atkinson, via the post, from 20 yards.

Immediately from the restart, the Avenue dampened the celebrations from the away side  to score their third of the game. Brad Dockerty dribbled through a couple of challenges inside the area before curling a right-footed shot towards goal. The ball bounced off the far post straight to the feet of Knight, who was unmarked, and he tapped home from ten yards.

A few minutes later, Redshaw came close to doubling his tally. The striker ran across the edge of the box and his shot was expertly saved with a strong left hand from Atkinson.

With twenty minutes remaining, young substitute Guilfoyle got his side back in the game. The striker created enough space to try his luck from distance. His low shot saw Atkinson rooted to the spot as the ball found the bottom corner.

Despite conceding, the Avenue looked dangerous in attack, playing some excellent free-flowing football. Booty, who continues to impress since joining the Avenue, nearly scored a 25 yard free-kick. 

Shortly after, Knight, on the left wing, delivered a teasing cross into the box to Dockerty, but his header went wide of the far post.

And then, the Avenue left-back Boyes scored a contender for goal of the season. Will Longbottom, who had a solid debut, spotted the loan signing from Sheffield United on the opposite side of the pitch. After taking a touch, Boyes drilled a spectacular left-footed shot from 30 yards into the top corner past Jameson. 

In the final ten minutes, the Avenue produced a professional display to hold onto their lead and secure a much-needed and clinical victory in the rain at the Horsfall Stadium.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Atkinson, Ross, Boyes, Booty, L.Lyons, Downing, Longbottom, Nowakowski, Knight, Dockerty, Clee (Sanyang 90)

Subs not used: J.Lyons, Fawcett, Hussain.

Goals: Knight (5), (57), Booty (20), Boyes (82)

Yellow: Longbottom (64)

York City: Jameson, Duckworth, Barrow, Newton, Brown, Tinkler (Guilfoyle 60), McLaughlin (Wright 45), Woods, Cassidy, Redshaw, Dyson (Bunn 45)

Subs not used: Flatters, Spratt.

Goals: Redshaw (56), Guilfoyle (70)

Yellow: Wright (90)

Referee: Tom Kirk

Attendance: Behind-closed-doors

The hosts took a deserved lead as Brad Jackson’s deep cross was nodded home by striker George Waring. The Blues extended their advantage with goals from Anthony Dudley and Will Goodwin before a consolation effort from Lewis Knight but the Avenue’s Wembley dream is over for another year.

The home side started the better team, switching the play to both flanks and looking for Waring and Goodwin to get the better of the Bradford defence, but they dealt well with the early pressure.

The away side could’ve broke the deadlock, making the most of a sloppy pass from left-back Jamie Morgan. Knight was the quickest to react and he saw his  shot fumbled by goalkeeper Louis Gray. From the rebound, Matty Downing was alert to try and score but he was denied by an excellent block from defender Kevin Roberts.

The men in blue and white started to increase the tempo and were rewarded with the opening goal. Jackson had time to take a touch and deliver a teasing cross for Waring at the far post. The striker found the bottom corner from 12 yards.

After the break, the momentum remained with the home side. After seeing a cross from Downing go just over Knight’s head, the Blues went on the counter attack. Anthony Dudley turned onto his right foot before being fouled by Luke Lyons inside the box. Referee Darren Rogers blew his whistle and pointed to the spot. Dudley got back to his feet and sent Avenue debutant goalkeeper Will Huffer the wrong way.

A number of substitutions saw the game lose its intensity but the home side looked comfortable with a two-goal lead and the Avenue struggling having already lost Jordan Windass and captain Luca Havern to injury to add to a growing list.

The Avenue introduced Tabish Hussain late in the second half and the winger made an impact on the right wing. But, unfortunately, his deliveries into the box were either cleared or unable to be converted by the Avenue strikers.

With only a couple of minutes left, a long ball towards Goodwin was headed back by Lyons, but it fell short of Huffer’s feet. The young Chester FC striker took the ball around the goalkeeper and slotted the ball into an unguarded net from 14 yards.

Into added time, Bradford scored a consolation as Hussain managed to squeeze a low cross into the penalty area and Knight was there to tap the ball past Gray from close range.

Chester FC: Gray, Roberts, Morgan, Weeks (Burke 79), Lacey, Grand, Jackson (Elliott 85), Clark, Goodwin, Waring (Marsh-Hughes 63), Dudley

Subs not used: Livesey, Glendon, Johnston, Bauress

Goals: Waring (21), Dudley (pen, 52), Goodwin (88)

Bradford (Park Avenue): Huffer, Ross, Boyes, L.Lyons, Havern (Hussain 60), Windass (Clee 45), Booty (J.Lyons 77), Hibbs, Dockerty, Knight, Downing

Sub not used: Atkinson

Goal: Knight (90)

The Brakes led at half-time, thanks to an early goal from Sam Osbourne and then, with additional time announced, Simeon Maye found the bottom corner from 12 yards.

Bradford reduced the lead with a Brad Dockerty goal, but, two minutes later, the away side restored their two-goal cushion with an excellent Osbourne strike from 20 yards

After a quiet opening period, the visitors broke the deadlock. As Avenue goalkeeper Dan Atkinson rushed out of his goal, Osbourne was calm and composed as he took the ball around him and slotted the ball into an unguarded net from 14 yards.

Osbourne, who continued to cause problems for the Bradford defence, nearly scored his second of the afternoon. After receiving the ball from Jack Edwards, the winger’s drilled shot was well blocked by left-back Harry Boyes inside the box.

Then, the hosts should’ve equalised from a corner. A deep, inswinging delivery from Nicky Clee found Jake Hibbs, but he couldn’t connect properly and scuffed his shot wide from close range.

With the additional time shown on the touchline, Paul Holleran’s side doubled their advantage. Another flick from Edwards, after hesitation in the Avenue defence found Maye, who was unmarked. The midfielder took a few touches and fired a right-footed effort past Atkinson from 12 yards.

After the break, and with the introduction of debutant Regan Booty, Bradford started to push men forward.

After a well-worked move involving Booty and Boyes, Knight curled over a right-footed effort from 20 yards. But it was more positive, drawing an applause from the Avenue dugout.

Then, they deservedly halved the deficit. Despite earlier missing a one-on-one chance, Knight spotted the run of Brad Dockerty through the centre of the pitch. With Weaver to beat, the winger calmly slotted the ball into the net to give the Avenue hope.

But that hope was quickly extinguished as the Brakes scored a wonderful third goal. A corner was cleared away and after excellent play from Lance Smith to turn and keep the ball in play, the striker found Osbourne. The winger sprinted towards goal and fired an unstoppable right-footed strike, from 20 yards, into the top corner.

The Brakes produced a stubborn defensive display to deny Bradford a way back into the game and the evening got worse for the hosts. With a minute left to play, Hibbs was aggressive in a challenge and referee John Mulligan rushed to his pocket for a red card and dismissed the midfielder to add to a miserable afternoon for Bradford.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Atkinson, Ross, Boyes, L.Lyons Havern, Windass (Hussain 77), Sanyang (Booty 45), Hibbs, Dockerty, Knight, Clee.

Subs not used: Downing, Huffer

Goal: Dockerty (69)

Red card: Hibbs

Leamington FC: Weaver, Martin, Morley, Clarke, Morrison, Lane, Osbourne (Meredith 85), Maye (Waldron 90), Smith, Edwards, Allen (Anderson 81)

Subs not used: English, Taylor 

Yellow card: Clarke

Goals: Osbourne (9), (71), Maye (45)