17 Aug 2019

Match Report: Alfreton Town 4-0 Bradford (Park Avenue)

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Bradford (Park Avenue) fell to a fifth defeat of the season thanks to a 4-0 loss away at Alfreton Town.

A first-half brace from Amari Morgan-Smith was followed up by a Danny Clarke strike and a Mitchell Lund own goal in the second period to condemn Avenue to yet another heavy loss in the National League North.

Akeem Hinds had a goal ruled out for offside and Lewis Knight saw a goalbound effort tipped onto the bar but Bradford were second best for the majority of a difficult afternoon at North Street.

The visitors actually started the game on the front foot playing down the slope at Alfreton, but that was all undone when Ben Hedley sold debutant and captain Rhys Taylor short with a backpass, Morgan-Smith nipping in and rounding the goalkeeper for the easiest of finishes.

Alfreton had a couple of penalty appeals waved away as the game slowed down, Knight hitting a free-kick which flicked off the wall and landed just over the bar.

Bradford then found the back of the net with a well-worked goal, Alex Hurst slipping in Hinds who finished confidently under former Avenue stopper Jack Atkinson, only for a dubious linesman’s flag to rule him out.

Moments later and the referee did point to the spot as Jon Moran pulled down Morgan-Smith, the striker picking himself up and sending Taylor the wrong way from 12 yards.

The hosts should have made it three just before the break as one full-back found the other, but Josh Wilde could only stab Josh Clackstone’s excellent ball over the bar.

Just after the interval, Clarke had a similar chance and found a similar fate, volleying over the bar from Wilde’s cross.

Bradford’s big chance came six minutes into the second period when Elliott Holmes’ low cross ran all the way through to half-time substitute Rod Orlando-Young, but he sliced his effort horribly wide.

And once again the visitors were stung as five minutes later, Alfreton capitalised on another mistake to extend their lead. It was Moran this time who underhit his backpass and Clarke ran through to make it 3-0.

Clackstone came close with an effort that skimmed the roof of the net, in between good saves from Taylor to deny Clarke and Morgan-Smith adding to their earlier efforts.

But with 15 minutes to play, Alfreton’s pressure paid off as Wilde’s cross from the left was deflected past a wrong-footed Taylor by Lund.

Avenue did strike the woodwork late on, Knight cutting inside before improvising a clipped effort which looked to have beaten Atkinson, only for the ‘keeper to preserve his clean sheet with an impressive fingertip save onto the top of the bar.

Alfreton Town: Atkinson, Clackstone, Wilde (c, Bacon 80), Lynch (Whitham 67), Killock, Qualter, Thacker, Smith, Clarke (Tomlinson 75), Morgan-Smith, Johnson

Subs not used: Blake, Williams

Goals: Morgan-Smith (12, 39P), Clarke (57), Lund (OG 74)

Booked: Clarke (43), Whitham (70)

Bradford (Park Avenue): Taylor (c), Hedley, Hinds (Orlando-Young 46), Lund, Cresswell, Moran, Marriott, Holmes, Hakeem (Clarke 62), Knight, Hurst

Subs not used: Bennett, Laird, Rathbone

Booked: Cresswell (31), Moran (39)

Referee: Michael Barlow

Attendance: 378

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17 Aug 2019

Match Preview – Alfreton Town

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Bradford (Park Avenue) look to carry momentum from a first point of the season with a trip to Alfreton Town this Saturday.

Marcus Law’s Avenue notched their first point on the board with a 1-1 draw at Gateshead on Tuesday evening.

Lewis Knight scored the club’s first goal of the season in the draw, finding the top corner on the end of an Elliott Holmes cross.

Law will be looking for his side to take some momentum from a positive result and performance, and he has strengthened his squad with the signing of experienced goalkeeper Rhys Taylor.

Hull City loanee Charlie Andrew returned to his parent club to allow the manager to bring in a more experienced number one, something he has expressed his desire to do throughout the team.

Former Bradford defenders Ryan Qualter and Shane Killock are among the familiar faces throughout an Alfreton squad which has won one and drawn one of its four games so far this season.

And Avenue return to North Street with a good record, having won on every visit since their relegation from the National League in 2015.

A second-half Connor Branson goal saw Avenue nick a 1-0 victory last September, before a 1-1 draw when the sides last met at Horsfall in April.

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17 Aug 2019

BRADFORD (PARK AVENUE) SECURE THE SIGNING OF PACEY FORWARD ROD ORLANDO YOUNG

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Bradford (Park Avenue) can announce the signing of exciting striker Rod Orlando Young.

Young began his career at Exeter City’s academy where he impressed enough to earn a move at age 17 to Norwich where he helped Norwich under 18’s to win the youth FA cup.

Throughout his career, Young has made a number of National League appearances most notably with Welling United.

Speaking exclusively to bpafc.com, the former Norwich man described himself as a ‘tricky’ forward and promises to be a handful for defenders saying “I bring with me a lot of pace and trickery. I like to take on defenders and create opportunities for myself and my teammates.”

When asked what he was looking forward to most about joining Avenue, Young said:

“Meeting and getting to know the fans, they are the most important part of any club, especially at this level.”

On the move, manager, Marcus Law commented, “Rod’s a pacey attacking player and we feel he can bring a lot to the team. It is an area we have been looking at closely as we need to turn around the goal deficit if we are to progress in this league.”

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17 Aug 2019

The National League Celebrates 40 Years

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This weekend, The National League celebrates it’s 40th anniversary, since the first fixtures took place in the then-called Alliance Premier League. 

An allocation of 20 Clubs made up the fifth tier, with Altrincham claiming the title in the inaugural season.

The Noel Kelly trophy- named after the former Nuneaton Borough Chairman- remained at Moss Lane at the end of the first two campaigns.

The pyramid shaped trophy represented a transition to the structure of Non-League football, which has been integral in shaping the game in this country.

With automatic promotion introduced from 1987, even the smallest Clubs could dream of a meteoric rise into the Football League and beyond.

Football power-brokers Jim Thompson and Noel White, who sadly passed away recently, were just two of a number of key people who influenced this ground-breaking change- and many others, like the influential Bill King, Peter Hunter and current President Brian Lee, have tirelessly steered the League through its many adventures over the past four decades.

The addition of the play-offs in 2003, then the North and South divisions a year later, has added a new dimension to the competition and created more wonderful memories.

Not only has the league had three titles, with the Football Conference in use for nearly 30 years, there has also been a total of six title sponsors. All of which have helped create an identity for the competition, as we know it today.

From a football perspective, there has been a huge number of significant moments throughout The National League’s history.

Wealdstone became the first Club to win the “Non-League double” of league title and FA Trophy success back in 1985. Colchester United matched this achievement in 1992, then Martin O’Neill’s Wycombe Wanderers the following season.

Many managers and players have gone onto have hugely successful careers in the game. Similar to O’Neill, the likes of Neil Warnock, Jamie Vardy and Joe Hart have made their mark at the top level.

And who can forget the more recent FA Cup runs of Lincoln City and Sutton United just over two years ago? Managers Danny Cowley and Paul Doswell performed heroics with their respective sides, showcasing their efforts in front of global audiences.

Our current commercial partnerships with Vanarama, LV Bet and BT Sport are flourishing, and the estimated money generated by the season-long competition is now at over £80 million.

From small acorns, The National League has become a well-established part of English football- and its profile is growing season-by-season. Extensive live matchday TV coverage on BT Sport and a greater awareness of our three divisions across the breadth of both traditional and modern media continues to grow.

Last season, over two million spectators attended our matches. It’s incredibly encouraging to see so many people coming through the turnstiles at our Football Clubs, the heartbeats of their communities. The figure is substantially larger than a decade ago.

Most importantly our competition remains friendly, welcoming and open to all. It is a National League but with wonderful Local Values.

Happy Birthday! And here’s to the next forty years.

Picture by Shane Healey.

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16 Aug 2019

Avenue Secure Experienced Stopper, Rhys Taylor

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Bradford (Park Avenue) have today secured the signing of experienced goalkeeper Rhys Taylor.

Taylor arrives at the Horsfall Stadium with a wealth of experience having played over 260 senior games throughout his career, including a number of seasons in the Football League. The veteran stopper is no stranger to the National League North however, as he made after made 34 appearances in 2016/17 for the then champions AFC Fylde.

When asked what attracted him to Bradford (Park Avenue), Taylor stated,

“I’ve known Lee (Fowler) for a while now and he’s a great guy. When he told me his and Marcus’s plans and aspirations for the team I liked what I heard. It’s something I want to be a part of.”

Continuing on, Taylor explained what he could bring to the club,

“Experience and Clean Sheets. If I do my job, that allows the lads in front of me to focus on their’s and score the goals that put points on the board.”

Taylor started his senior career with Chelsea but saw his first senior appearance on loan to Crewe Alexandra in League Two, where he quickly became their first choice keeper.

First team manager, Marcus Law explained what attracted him to Taylor,

“It’s important to have good communicators and leaders at the back and with his wealth of experience, that’s something that Rhys can bring to the table.

“Game management is vital to winning. If we get that right, the rest will start to fall into place.”

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16 Aug 2019

Avenue place on record their ‘Thanks’ to Charlie Andrew as the young keeper returns to Hull City

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The club can confirm that Charlie Andrew’s loan spell at Horsfall Stadium has come to an end. 

Andrew joined Avenue in January 2019 and has impressed whilst with the club. A club spokesman said,

“Everyone would like to thank Charlie for his hard work and determination during his time at Horsfall Stadium and we hope his loan spell with Bradford has provided him with valuable experience that will help him build his career.

“We’d also like to thank Hull City for allowing the club the use of Charlie over the course of this and last season.”

Regarding the loan, Marcus Law added,

“It’s been a tough decision to make but ultimately I think it’s the right one for all parties involved. He has great potential but at this stage we feel that we need to bring someone with experience in that can marshall the back line. With the recent run of results it would not have been beneficial for Charlie to continue at this stage in his development. He needs a more positive environment to ply his trade.“

“I had a chat with Hull City and they agree and will look to place Charlie at another club soon.”

Photo Credit: Tom Pearson.

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16 Aug 2019

Avenue offer condolences to Crichlow-Noble

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All at Bradford (Park Avenue) are saddened to hear of the passing of Natalie Crichlow, Mother of former loan player, Romoney Crichlow-Noble.

As a club and as individuals, we all offer our condolences to Romoney and his family on this tragic news.

A Go Fund Me page has been set up to raise funds to help the family. If you would like to make a donation, please click the link below:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/NatalieCrichlow-Justice

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15 Aug 2019

The option for professional Rugby League to stay in Bradford is still alive insists Avenue owner

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With the news that Bradford Bulls are leaving the City, Bradford (Park Avenue) owner Gareth Roberts has vowed to keep his offer open to still host the Rugby League team at Horsfall stadium if a deal can still be struck – but only for a limited period of time. 

Roberts has publicly backed the idea of the Bulls remaining in Bradford and was involved in advanced talks about ground sharing. However after today’s announcement he admitted his ‘disappointment’ for Bulls supporters and the City in general that the club would be leaving Odsal after nearly 90 years of playing at the stadium. 

Roberts said, “I think the move is a crying shame for both Bulls supporters and the sport loving community of Bradford. I respect the Bulls’ decision because running a professional sports club is expensive, but we believed we offered a viable alternative. This is a sad day for Bradford but we will keep the option for them to ground share with us open as long as we can. After that we’ll look to set up a new professional club to keep Rugby League alive and well in a BD postcode. If that happens we’ll continue with our commitment to making Bradford a ‘Sporting City’!

“In my lifetime I have seen Bradford go from a truly great City of sport with two professional football teams, a first class county cricket ground and a Rugby League team that were once World Club Champions, to a place that is clinging onto its sporting heritage. 

“We applaud Bradford City for what they have achieved in recent years but the Bulls leaving means Bradfordians have slim pickings if they want to watch professional sport.”

For a while, both Park Avenue and the Bulls had forged close links and even experimented with numerous cost saving operational exercises over the last year.

Avenue are close to obtaining a 35-year lease on Horsfall playing fields from the council and already are well underway with planned improvements in the stadium. The Bulls’ decision to move to play in Dewsbury will leave a vacuum that Roberts believes can be filled and confirmed that conversations have already been had about setting up a new Rugby League club. 

Further details of the new club and membership will be announced in due course. 

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15 Aug 2019

The Vanarama First Four – what it all means for Bradford (Park Avenue)

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League sponsors Vanarama have been busy assessing the season so far – and what’s to come!

Story so far…

New boss Garry Thompson lasted just two games in charge after picking up the baton from Mark Bower. Both his games at the helm ended in humiliating 5-0 defeats which were soon followed by a 3-0 reverse to Kidderminster Harriers. However, new manager Marcus Law seems to have stopped the rot after a credible draw with Gateshead on Tuesday night.

From the dugout…

Marcus Law watched his side lose their third game on the spin but insisted he saw a squad of players who were “committed and open-minded.” Law also spoke about how he is desperate to get the players’ confidence back after tough start.

Biggest result so far…

Tuesday night’s draw with Gateshead was significant. Not only was it their first point on the board but to fight back from a goal down when confidence is in short supply is a show of the right mentality that is sure to get the fans back on side sooner or later.

Stat attack…

League position: 21st

Home goals for: 0

Away goals for: 1

Home goals against: 8

Away goals against: 6

Top scorer: Lewis Knight (1)

What the fans say… 

Ian Collier (@IanC0llier2) didn’t want to start pointing the finger as he believes the endeavour was there despite falling to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Kidderminster Harriers. He said: “no criticising the effort of the side today but like rabbits in headlights.”

Next up…

It’s another away day to what so far to what has been a very unpredictable Alfreton Town side. With things seemingly moving in the right direction for the Avenue and Alfreton Town looking strong at home, this one could get exciting.

Their one to watch….

Bobby Johnson can pop-up anywhere and nail you when you least expect it. A key cog in the Billy Heath Alfreton machine, Johnson is tireless and is capable of giving any defence the runaround.

Last time out….

All-square last time the two met back in March with Gianluca Havern snatching a late equaliser for the Avenue. One encouraging stat however will be that Bradford haven’t lost at the Impact Arena since 2004 – winning all four meetings at the Reds’ home since.

League sponsors Vanarama have recently launched the National League Club Reward scheme to help fans back their club’s budget. Every time a fan takes out a brand new van lease with Vanarama or a brand new car lease with Mototama their club will earn £100 and you will receive £30 cashback!

For the latest van leasing deals head to Vanarama.

For the latest car leasing deals head to Motorama. 

Photo Credit: Tom Pearson

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