Spirited Avenue keep the dream alive

Bradford Park Avenue made a late surge into the play-off positions whilst ensuring Harrogate Town would have to fight it out in the end-of-season showcase to seal promotion.

The hopes of the two sides provided a sharper edge to a Yorkshire derby that was going to have one regardless, and both sets of supporters contributed to the electric atmosphere within the ground.

Chances were few and far between in the early stages, with the rivals cancelling each other out and struggling to carve open opportunities. Harrogate dangerman George Thomson was the first to call Avenue stopper Steven Drench into action, forcing him to palm a low drive wide of the post.

Minutes later, it was the visitors’ goalkeeper James Belshaw that was thrust into the action as he was forced to keep out a close-range effort from Adam Boyes.

The hosts took the lead after 24 minutes when Wroe’s out-swinging corner was met by Boyes, whose header looped over a helpless Belshaw and into the top corner.

Mark Bower’s in-form side had an opportunity to double their advantage shortly after, as a Belshaw clearance failed to reach the halfway line and Oli Johnson was given the chance to try chip the goalkeeper. The Avenue forward’s audacious lob from 25-yards, however, sailed over the crossbar.

The visitors began to knock on the door more frequently as the first-half reached its latter stages but couldn’t find a way past Drench as the goalkeeper held efforts from Jake Wright and Jack Emmett.

A half-chance fell to Warren Burrell immediately after the restart, but Shane Killock made a crucial block to deflect the Harrogate defender’s half-volley wide.

A catalogue of errors from both sides led to an eventful period in the game and three bookings were dished out in the midst of some desperate defending.

Harrogate eventually crumbled under some intense Avenue pressure, with the home side doubling their lead with a remarkable goal. Johnson pulled back to an advancing Wroe, who showed impressive skill to flick to the back-post where Frank Mulhern was waiting to steer past Belshaw.

Harrogate came agonisingly close to pulling one back when Wright escaped his marker at a corner but headed wide when he should have really converted.

The on-loan striker did eventually find the target when he reacted quickest to hammer home from close-range after Drench parried a low drive from Dominic Knowles.

Boyes then brought an abrupt end to Harrogate celebrations, tucking away after Belshaw had palmed a Johnson strike into his path following a mazy run in which he weaved his way past three defenders.

Simon Weaver’s side couldn’t recover from the late blow, allowing Salford City to clinch the title despite losing to Boston United.Avenue now sit in 7th place but could lose their grip on the coveted spot if Spennymoor Town gain four points from their final three games.

Bradford Park Avenue: Drench, Ross, Hill(Atkinson 89’), Wroe (c), Killock, Havern, Brooksby, Spencer, Boyes, Johnson, Mulhern(Boshell 81’)

Unused substitutes: Toulson, Hall, Smith

Harrogate Town: Belshaw, Fallowfield, Swain (Thewlis 71’), Falkingham (c), Burrell, McCombe, Thomson (Kerry 77’), Emmett, Wright, Knowles, Agnew (Beck 61’)

Unused substitutes: Cracknell, Kennedy

Referee: Richard Bartlett

Bradford Park Avenue climbed to eighth in the table after becoming the first team in the Vanarama National League North to do the double over high-fliers Brackley Town.

 Ryan Toulson unleashed a left-footed thunderbolt with ten minutes remaining to clinch a 1-0 victory over the promotion-chasing Saints.

Mark Bower made two changes to the side that beat Boston United, dropping Steven Drench to the substitutes bench in place of Ed Hall and fielding Ryan Toulson in central midfield in place of Danny Boshell. Avenue’s substitute bench featured Academy defender Lewis Johnson and young striker Bradley Oliver also travelled with the team.

Avenue flew out of the blocks and had a several opportunities to open the scoring early on. Toulson blazed over after a neat exchange between Nicky Wroe and Frank Mulhern provided him with the space to let fly.

Adam Boyes wriggled away from his marker in the box, only to fail to generate enough power in his shot to trouble Danny Lewis.

Wroe had no trouble in generating power with an effort of his own shortly after, hammering a volley goal wards before seeing it fly wide.

However, the hosts grew into the game and began asking questions of Avenue’s backline.

James Armson had a golden opportunity to fire Brackley ahead after being teed up by Matt Lowe but blasted over from close-range to the despair of home supporters.

Lowe provided an outlet for the Saints throughout, as did Lee Ndlovu who constantly looked to get in behind using his blistering pace. The forward’s composure, however, was lacking and he fired into the clutches of Hall after rounding Shane Killock.

As the interval approached, there was a lull in entertainment and the only incident of note in the latter stages was a confrontation between several players following a foul on Hall.

Brackley piled the pressure on Avenue after the half-time break, keen to gain the upper hand by striking first. Connor Franklin drilled across the box and his delivery came very close to finding Ndlovu, but Shane Killock hooked over his own crossbar to clear the danger.

Franklin then cut in from the left before pulling the trigger but was thwarted by the outstretched leg of Mark Ross.

Lowe was also denied by excellent Avenue defending, as a Luca Havern block lifted the Saints winger’s effort over the crossbar.

Hall was called into action to tip a powerful Armson volley over the crossbar, stunning Brackley fans behind the goal with his acrobatic stop.

Oli Johnson made his return from a three-match suspension to replace Mulhern as the clock ticked and made an instant impact with a crucial assist.

Wroe picked the substitute out with a diagonal delivery that the forward flicked into the path of an on-rushing Toulson. He darted into the box to latch on to it before hammering home with his left foot to give Mark Bower’s side the lead.

Despite a nervy final few minutes, Avenue held on and secured one of their most impressive wins of the season so far.

Brackley Town: Lewis, Myles, Franklin (Nicholson 74’), Byrne, Graham, Dean (c), Lowe, Armson, Ndlovu (Brown 82’), Williams (Iaciofano 78’), Walker.

Unused substitutes: Streete, Diggin.

Bradford Park Avenue: Hall, Ross, Hill, Wroe (c), Killock, Havern, Brooksby (Recizac 90+1’), Toulson, Boyes, Spencer, Mulhern (Johnson 71’).

Unused substitutes: Johnson, Drench, Boshell.

Referee: Rob Massey-Ellis

Attendance: 290

Boyes brace beats Boston

Adam Boyes notched his 18^th league goal of the season with just minutes remaining to make it back-to-back wins for a reinvigorated Bradford Park Avenue.

He had grabbed his 17^th in the first-half, cancelling out an early opener from Boston United captain Jordan Keane.

Mark Bower made one change to the side that saw off Leamington last week, drafting in midfielder Danny Boshell to replace Rob Atkinson after the defender was forced off during the victory over the Brakes.

The hosts made a dream start, taking the lead after just three minutes. They were awarded a free-kick in controversial circumstances after Jake Beesley was brought down outside the box, and Ashley Hemming’s delivery was met by the head of captain Jordan Keane. The defender glanced a header beyond the reach of Steven Drench to leave the visitors shell shocked.

Hemmings caused problems again with a cross shortly after, but his lofted delivery was headed clear by Matt Hill after the winger had escaped the challenge of Frank Mulhern.

Beesley advanced into the box before cutting-back to Brad Abbott but his through ball missed its target and rolled to Drench.

Gianluca Havern and Shane Killock were proving difficult opposition for Boston’s pacey frontline and the latter made an excellent sliding challenge to thwart James Clifton, who opened to shoot after cutting-in from the right.

Avenue did begin to knock on the door as the half progressed and Boyes rattled the crossbar with a thunderous effort from just outside the box.

Boston continued to enjoy opportunities despite Avenue’s testing of Willis and nearly doubled their lead when Beesley drew a fantastic save from Drench with a well-struck half-volley.

However, it was Avenue that found a way through when Boyes powered home a header from a Ross delivery to draw level.

The visitors almost took the lead on the stroke of half-time, as both Boyes and Jamie Spencer saw efforts blocked by Keane on the edge of the box.

HALF-TIME: Boston United 1-1 Bradford Park Avenue

The Pilgrims enjoyed a prolonged spell of pressure after the interval but failed to find a way past the in-form Drench.

An interchange between Andi Thanoj and Hemmings opened space for the latter to shoot but the winger blazed over with a wild effort.

It was soon Avenue’s turn to regain a grip on the game, as they began to enjoy more time on the front foot.

Boyes drilled across goal in search of Spencer, but ex-Avenue man Ryan Qualter hooked behind before the young midfielder could pounce.

Mulhern skipped past Ben Middleton before checking back but his cross looped over the head of a lurking Boyes.

With the tie poised at 1-1, the final few minutes were set to be entertaining. They certainly lived up to expectations, and Mark Bower’s men would have been forgiven for thinking luck simply wasn’t on their side after seeing three shots hooked away on the line.

Two came from substitute Antoine Remi Recizac, who caused problems following his introduction with some impressive movement and skill. After his second was blocked on the goal line, the ball fell to Mulhern whose effort was also denied by a last-ditch clearance.

The resilient visitors were eventually rewarded for their pressure, taking the lead in the 90^th minute when Boyes steered past Willis after the ball fell to the clinical finisher in the box.

FULL-TIME: Boston United 1-2 Bradford Park Avenue

 Boston United: Willis, Middleton, Brogan, Thanoj, Keane (c), Qualter, Clifton (McGuire 77’), Abbott (Tshimanga 83’), Thompson, Beesley (Smith 67’), Hemmings.

Unused substitutes: Stewart, Wafula.

 Bradford Park Avenue: Drench, Ross, Hill, Wroe (c), Killock, Havern, Brooksby (Recizac 75’), Boshell, Boyes, Spencer, Mulhern (Toulson 90+2’).

Unused substitutes: Hall, Knight.

Referee: Sam Mulhall