Bradford (Park Avenue) claimed their first win of the season with a hard-fought victory at Darlington.

A first goal in senior football for Jaheim Headley was enough for Bradford to claim victory in a brilliantly battled backs-to-the-wall win in which Darlington hit the post three times – including with a penalty in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

Goalkeeper Rhys Taylor made a string of fine saves as Bradford claimed their first win of the season, with a second clean sheet in a row.

There were two new faces in the Bradford lineup with Headley starting for Marcus Law’s side, while Brad Dockerty also came into the starting 11.

The game started at a fast pace despite the sweltering heat, Lewis Knight played in behind twice but to no avail, before Stephen Thompson’s header down couldn’t find a teammate at the other end.

Thompson had the game’s first real chance of the game, as his header from a corner dropped just onto the roof of the net with Taylor stranded.

Avenue struggled to properly find any rhythm early on as Mitch Lund was forced off in the second minute with a facial injury, before the referee waved him off again not long after returning, both times refusing to allow him back into the action while the play was ongoing.

The visitors did have a sniff just after Lund was forced to receive treatment for a second time, as Knight’s long throw dropped in the area but neither Jon Moran or central defensive partner Nelson Digbeu could get there.

Dockerty then saw some joy on the right for Bradford, twice getting to the by-line but both times just struggling to find a man with his low cut-backs.

The hosts then had another chance, once more created by Thompson, whose chest down was volleyed well over by Adam Campbell.

Avenue came forward again though and came their closest through Digbeu, who headed Knight’s throw-in towards the bottom corner, only for Chris Elliott to be equal to it with a very good save.

His opposite number, Bradford captain Taylor, then had work to do himself, closing down Will Hadfield’s burst into the area, before he reacted brilliantly to save from Justin Donawa after he found himself in behind and bearing down on goal.

The second half started in a similarly even fashion, with Hadfield’s volley well blocked by Moran in the only chance before Avenue took the lead.

A long ball was well held up by Avenue substitute Joseph Chidyausiku and Isaac Marriott play a brilliant ball through to Headley, who took it in his stride before prodding past Elliott and into the bottom corner.

Moments later, Taylor had to be at his absolute best as a Darlington corner was headed onto the inside of the post and the Bradford goalkeeper acrobatically beat the effort away from goal.

Darlington continued to build pressure but with little in the way of goalmouth action until the 82nd minute, when a long ball found Campbell but his powerful effort was well kept out by the legs of Taylor.

Bradford managed to get themselves up the other end of the pitch, but Hurst’s cross was volleyed over by an offside Myron Gibbons.

As a board signalling six minutes of added time went up, Taylor did well to beat away Rivers’ cross before Hadfield’s effort was charged down by Hurst.

Campbell saw a shot deflected just wide before his 20-yard strike flew past Taylor but thumped back out off the upright.

The goalkeeper then did brilliantly to react and get down as Louis Laing got a prodded effort towards goal which looked to have wrong-footed Taylor.

But then as the clock ticked towards full time, the referee pointed to the spot as a cross dropped and a Darlington man looked to be crowded out, though the decision looked soft.

Up stepped Thompson, but his low effort towards the bottom corner went wide off the outside of the post – with a possible touch from Taylor on its way.

The full time whistle was finally blown to give Avenue their first win of the season in dramatic circumstances after a brilliant team performance which deserves a lot of credit.

Darlington: Elliott, Atkinson, Watson, Bascome (Holness 71), Laing, Galbraith (c, Heaton 32), Rivers, Hatfield, Campbell, Thompson, Donawa (O’Neill 59)

Subs not used: Bell, Wheatley

Booked: Hadfield (70)

Bradford (Park Avenue): Taylor (c), Lund (Chidyausiku 46), Calder, Wood, Moran, Digbeu, Dockerty (Hedley 66), Marriott, Knight (Gibbons 74), Hurst, Headley

Subs not used: Bennett, Orlando-Young

Goal: Headley (60)

Booked: Headley (41), Taylor (64), Hedley (76), Hurst (78), Calder (90+4)

Referee: Dean Hulme

Attendance: 1,491

Next Up: AFC Telford United (H) | Saturday 31st August, 3pm kick-off

Bradford (Park Avenue) earned their second point of the season with a goalless draw at home to Blyth.

Both sides had chances in a close contest at the Horsfall Stadium, which drew plenty of positives for a home side who kept their first clean sheet of the season.

After promising changes through the week, interim manager Marcus Law handed out three debuts from the start, with Riccardo Calder, Marcus Wood and Myron Gibbons all coming in for their first appearance in red, amber and black.

It was the visitors who came close early on though, Adam Wrightson getting in behind but Rhys Taylor made himself big and blocked the effort inside 30 seconds.

Calder had the first of Avenue’s chances in a frantic opening to the match, heading Hedley’s cross well wide before bursting into the box and seeing a low drive well held by Nathan Harker.

Lewis Knight was then gifted a chance as Tom Devitt slipped on the edge of his own box, but the forward shot well wide when a pass to Doncaster loanee Gibbons may have been the better option.

Calder and Knight then combined for another good chance for the forward, but he headed well over from a cracking cross into the box.

Wood saw a shot from range comfortably held before Gibbons’ shot was blocked as Bradford looked to take advantage of their dominance in the opening half an hour.

But it was the visitors who in fact had the ball in the back of the net, Taylor doing brilliantly to deny Wrightson but Scott Fenwick prodded home, only for the linesman’s flag to deny him.

The goalmouth action died down on a hot afternoon at the Horsfall stadium, Fenwick and Wrightson again combining for the former to glance wide when he probably should have scored.

Avenue had a couple of corners which came to nothing before the big chance with only three minutes to play.

Bradford had worked their way into the area and a loose ball fell the way of substitute debutant Joseph Chidyausiku, but his finish was blocked on the line brilliantly by Oliver Scott.

As the hosts pushed forward for a winner, there was space at the back and still time for one huge chance for the visitors.

Captain Robbie Dale managed to get one-on-one with Mitch Lund, coming inside but seeing his shot brilliantly kept out by Taylor, before heading the loose ball just wide of the target.

It’s a short turnaround over the bank holiday weekend, as Bradford now head to Darlington on Monday looking to find that elusive first win of the campaign.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Taylor (c), Lund, Calder, Wood, Moran, Digbeu (Dockerty 79), Hedley, Marriott (Holmes 79), Gibbons (Chidyausiku 60), Hurst, Knight

Subs not used: Cresswell, Orlando-Young

Booked: Calder (61)

Blyth Spartans: Harker, Horner, Scott, Devitt, Ritzen, Mason (Hutchinson (45+1), Wrightson (Orrell 80), Robson, Fenwick, Mullen (Mouanda 9), Dale (c)

Subs not used: Evans, Foden

Referee: Adam Herczog

Attendance: 328