Bradford (Park Avenue) were denied victory by a stunning strike from Southport’s Bradley Bauress in a 2-2 draw at the Horsfall Stadium.

The early stages yielded little in the way of entertainment as both sides wrestled with the conditions and struggled to find any rhythm.

However, the visitors pounced in the 13th minute to edge themselves ahead. Dean Winnard connected with Bradley Bauress’ corner delivery and directed his header past a helpless Steven Drench.

The goal rallied Bradford, who struck back through Conor Branson just four minutes later. The returning midfielder dived to meet Lewis Knight’s free-kick delivery before heading into the bottom corner.

With the wind in their sails, Bradford began to attack with an increased sense of urgency and a quicker tempo. Knight sent a shot wide of the post from the right-hand side of the box and Conor Branson saw a header saved by Daniel Hanford after connecting with Nicky Wroe’s free-kick delivery.

Southport dealt with the onslaught and aimed to ask questions of the Bradford backline with swiftly-launched counter-attacks. A neat exchange between Jordan Archer and Dion Charles provided the latter with the opportunity to test Drench but he failed to do so, firing over the crossbar.

Archer then found himself on the end of an inch-perfect cross from Jordan Richards, but he headed wide after escaping Gianluca Havern in the box.

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

The first opportunity of the second-half fell to Southport skipper David Morgan, but Drench pushed his long-range effort wide and the resulting corner was cleared.

Morgan then saw a speculative effort from an even greater distance sail over the woodwork.
Beesley then found himself one-on-one with Hanford after a deflected pass from Nicky Clee put the ball in the forward’s path. The ball, however, ran out of play after Beesley knocked the ball to the side of an on-rushing Hanford.

Danny Lowe then had his blushes spared by Drench, who made a magnificent save to prevent the defender’s misdirected header nestling in Bradford’s own net.

The hosts took the lead in the 74th minute through stand-in skipper Oli Johnson, who raced away from Richards and steered past Hanford from the left-hand side of the box.

The Sandgrounders took just three minutes to produce a response and did so in sensational fashion. A stunning long-range strike from Bauress levelled proceedings after nestling in the bottom corner.

Southport substitute Devarn Green then demonstrated some deft footwork on the right flank before teeing up Charles, but the midfielder blasted over.

Both sides continued to hunt for the elusive winning goal but neither managed to make a breakthrough. Adam Nowakowski was denied by Hanford at close-range and Marcus Wood’s audacious piledriver flew narrowly wide before the referee blew the final whistle.

FULL-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 2-2 Southport

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Toulson, Lowe, Wroe (Spencer 82’), Ross, Havern, Knight, Beesley, Johnson (c), Clee (Nowakowski 71’).

Unused substitutes: Dawson, Hurst, McKenna.

Southport: Hanford, Richards, Ogle, Edwards, Winnard, Morgan (c), Charles, Wood, Gilchrist (Green 62’), Archer (Sampson 72’), Bauress.

Unused substitutes: Homson-Smith, Mueller, Parry.

Referee: Tom Parsons

Bradford (Park Avenue) retained their grip on top spot in the Vanarama National League North with a hard-fought victory over AFC Telford United.

Supporters were treated to a fast and fiery first-half, during which both sides created several opportunites and tempers threatened to flare on numerous occasions.

The hosts were keen to test Bradford in the opening exchanges and Bucks frontman Daniel Udoh registered the first shot on target of the game after just two minutes. His effort, however, was tame and rolled into the grateful clutches of Steven Drench.

A corner routine taken straight from the Telford training ground then created space for Darryl Knights to shoot, but he fired over the woodwork from a central position.

Telford were soon carved open themselves and Oli Johnson managed to flick over a stranded Andy Wycherley, but saw his effort hooked off the line in dramatic fashion by Shane Sutton.

Nicky Clee threaded through to an on-rushing Lewis Knight, but the Bradford man’s strike was blocked by makeshift left-back Ellis Deeney.

Deeney then almost made an impact at the other end when he connected with Knights’ teasing delivery. Despite having to scramble across his line, Drench held on to the powerful header.

Clee proved to be a thorn in Telford’s side throughout the first-half and found Knight with a superb lofted pass. The on-rushing attacker made an incisive dart into the box before being thwarted by Deeney’s sliding tackle.

Clee then skipped past two players with some deft footwork before teeing up Nicky Wroe, but the midfielder’s shot was diverted away from goal by the outstretched boot of Sutton.

The Bucks began to take control in the late stages of the half yet failed to capitalise on the opportunites they created. James McQuilkin sent two free-kick efforts over the crossbar and Amari Morgan-Smith headed wide after meeting Udoh’s cross.

HALF-TIME: AFC Telford United 0-0 Bradford (Park Avenue)

A collision between Drench and Udoh left both in a heap shortly after the restart and Knights attempted to take advantage. He lifted over the floored duo, but his effort found the wrong side of the crossbar.
Three minutes later, Bradford were ahead through Knight, who tucked the ball away in a vacated net after Wycherley parried Beesley’s curling effort.

Telford’s frustration was clear for all to see and McQuilkin sent a speculative effort wide despite several of his teammates making themselves available.

The trailing hosts desperately searched for an equaliser but found themselves unable to break the visitors down. Bradford’s defence remained resolute, forcing Telford to resort to speculative strikes from long-range.

Deeney escaped Ryan Toulson and teed up McQuilkin, but his audacious attempt whistled wide of the post.

Substitute Ryan Barnet came closer, forcing Drench to pluck his thunderous effort out of the top left-hand corner.

As the game entered its final ten minutes, pressure began to mount upon Bradford. Sutton connected with a corner delivery but nodded wide and Barnett was denied by Drench for a second time, watching his low drive be dropped upon by the Bradford stopper.

Bradford soaked up the pressure heaped upon them and launched a swift counter-attack to seal the three points in stoppage time. Beesley squared to Spencer from the left and the midfielder made no mistake in steering past Wycherley with admirable composure.

FULL-TIME: AFC Telford United 0-2 Bradford (Park Avenue)

AFC Telford United: Wycherley, White, Deeney, McQuilkin, Sutton (c), Smith (Barnett 62’), Cowans, Royle, Morgan-Smith (Daniels 78’), Udoh, Knights (Brown 78’).

Unused substitutes: Bramley, Ceesau.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Toulson, Lowe, Wroe, Ross, Havern, Nowakowski (Spencer 76’), Knight, Beesley, Johnson, Clee.

Unused substitutes: Dawson.

Referee: Aaron Jackson

Attendance: 1,468

Bradford (Park Avenue) crashed out of the Buildbase FA Trophy following a 4-0 defeat to league rivals Altrincham.

In a first-half that yielded little quality from either side, Altrincham provided the cutting edge that separated them from the visitors.

Robins defender Connor Hampson surged forward before forcing Steven Drench to produce and impressive save in the opening five minutes and it wasn’t long until the hosts were ahead.

Danny Lowe bundled Jordan Hulme to the ground, handing John Johnston the opportunity to step up and send Drench the wrong way with a penalty.

Bradford looked to respond swiftly but after Nicky Clee found Jake Beesley with a free-kick delivery, the forward poked into a sea of bodies before the ball was cleared.

Clee, a familiar face at the J. Davidson Stadium, then embarked on a mazy run that saw him skip past three players, but his drilled cross was intercepted by Tom Hannigan.

The Robins continued to look most likely to score and went close through Andrew White, who saw his low drive pushed wide by the outstretched right glove of Drench.

A lapse in concentration from Lowe enabled Johnston to shoot from close-range but Drench was on-hand to spare the defender’s blushes and beat away the winger’s effort.

Altrincham’s lead was then doubled when Josh Hancock rolled into the path of Hulme, who tucked away in the bottom corner in a composed manner.

The visitors did register a shot on target before the half-time whistle blew, but McKenna’s thunderous volley was palmed away from danger by Robins stopper Andrew Thompson.

HALF-TIME: Altrincham 2-0 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Altrincham added to their advantage shortly after the restart when Johnston teed up Josh Hancock and the midfielder curled past Drench from the edge of the 18-yard box.

Johnston then came very close to adding a fourth in similar fashion to how Hancock netted the third, but his curling effort was held by Drench.

A golden opportunity fell Jake Beesley’s way after Oli Johnson darted to the byline and squared, but the forward poked wide from 5-yards out.

Johnson was the provider again when he cut back to an on-rushing Alex Hurst from the left, but the midfielder blasted over the crossbar from just inside the box.

Despite having a comfortable lead, the Robins continued to threaten and almost added a fourth through Owen Dale. He latched on to a punt from Jake Moult before making an incisive dart into the box but dragged wide under pressure from Gianluca Havern.

They carved Bradford open again with twelve minutes remaining on the clock and substitute Kallum Mantack become the fourth Robins player to etch his name on the scoresheet. He arrived at the back post to meet Hulme’s delivery before miscuing his first attempt at a shot but made amends by retaining possession and steering past Drench.

In the final ten minutes, the Robins sat deep within their own half and sprayed the ball around with confidence, safe in the knowledge that they had a comfortable lead. Mark Bower’s side chased relentlessly but failed to cause the hosts any problem in the latter stages.

Altrincham: Thompson, White, Hampson (Densmore 75’), Jones, Hannigan, Moult, Johnston (Mantack 75’), Richman, Hulme, Hancock (Harrop 80’), Dale.

Unused substitutes: Langley, Wynne.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Ross, Lowe (Johnson 58’), Spencer (Wroe 58’), Killock (c), Havern, McKenna, Branson, Beesley (Nowakowski 71’), Hurst, Clee.

Unused substitutes: Toulson, Atkinson.

Referee: Richard Aspinall

HT: 2-0

Attendance: 570