Bradford took the lead as Lewis Knight showed great composure to slot the ball into the net before the Moors levelled through a volley from Ryan Hall in the second half. The Avenue regained the lead  a couple of minutes later  with another excellent Knight strike but Taylor nodded the ball past Dan Atkinson in the final minutes of the game.

Despite a bright start by the Moors, the visitors took the lead. Captain Luca Havern produced a bit of magic in the centre of the park and threaded a through ball to Knight. The striker took the ball round goalkeeper Dale Eve and side-footed the ball into the net from ten yards.

Mark Bower’s side looked impressive and nearly doubled their advantage. Harry Boyes, who drove down the left wing, pulled the ball back to Isaac Marriott, but the midfielder’s strike went down the throat of Eve from 12 yards.

Five minutes later, the Moors could’ve equalised as Rob Ramshaw was put through, one-on-one with Atkinson. But, the midfielder failed to hit the target from ten yards.

Before the break, Atkinson, who continues to make some unbelievable saves, made another from a corner as Taylor rose above his marker, but the Bradford number one tipped the ball against the bar.

Then, into added time, a free-kick from Nicky Clee was half-cleared and as the ball dropped out of the sky, Brad Dockerty hit a stunning left-footed volley, from 16 yards, which brushed the bottom of the post.

After the break, Havern came close to scoring his side’s second goal of the afternoon. A low set-piece from Knight was controlled by the defender and after twisting the ball onto his right-foot, his effort went agonisingly wide of Eve’s far post.

After watching Atkinson save well from Taylor, Bradford, again, came close to doubling their lead. From distance, Knight hit a stunning strike from 35 yards, and with Eve at full-stretch, the ball grazed the crossbar.

After making a double substitution, the Moors pushed forward and scored an equaliser. Following Atkinson’s save from Scott McLean, the pressure continued and a defensive header went across the box which was smashed into the roof of the net by Ryan Hall from 18 yards.

Despite conceding, the Avenue replied with an excellent goal. Knight drifted off the left wing and, with confidence flowing through his veins, the striker curled a superb right-footed effort from 20 yards into the bottom corner.

Then, following a straight red card for Ryan Toulson for an off-the-ball incident with Taylor, Jason Ainsley’s side scored their second goal. McLean delivered a teasing ball which was flicked by Taylor towards goal, and despite Atkinson getting a hand to it, the ball found the back of the net from 12 yards.

Into the final few minutes, the Moors threw men forward and substitute Frank Mulhern had two opportunities to snatch a dramatic victory. But, the Avenue held on for a deserved draw in the North East.

Spennymoor Town: Eve, Forbes, Blakeman (Thompson 67), Curtis, Buddle, Moke (Mulhern 56), Spencer, Ramshaw, McKenna (Hall 67), McLean, Taylor 

Subs not used: Anderson, Magnay

Goals: Hall (78), Taylor (84)

Yellow cards: Taylor, Spencer 

Bradford (Park Avenue): Atkinson, Ross, Boyes, Marriott, Havern, Windass, Toulson, Hibbs, Dockerty (Sanyang 80), Knight (Ibrian 89), Clee

Subs not used: Huffer, Downing, Hussain

Goals: Knight (8), (80)

Yellow card: Toulson

Red card: Toulson

Attendance: Behind-closed-doors 

Referee: Paul Brown

A teasing free-kick delivery by Lewis Knight was met by the Havern, who escaped Sean Reid inside the box, to nod home from eight yards as his side held on for a crucial victory.

The team from the Horsfall set up with plenty of pace in attack and caused their hosts some problems early into the game.

Issac Marriott, who never stopped running for 90 minutes and the link between midfield and attack, tried his luck from 25 yards but it flew over the bar.

After watching Tyrone O’Neill drag a shot wide from a similar position, the Avenue were hitting the channels well, with both Omar Sanyang and Brad Dockerty supporting Knight and winning free-kicks in good positions. But it was Harry Boyes, who continues to impress during his loan spell, crossing the ball into the area but the referee blew his whistle to give handball against former Avenue man Ben Hedley.

Knight stepped up and curled the ball towards the penalty spot and Havern rose the highest to glance a header into the back of the net, sparking celebrations from those wearing amber and black.

Alun Armstrong’s side grew into the game and, five minutes later, hit the woodwork twice in 60 seconds.

Erico Sousa came off his wing with the ball, running across the pitch, finding Adam Campbell on the left flank and his cross was headed by striker Dan Maguire from eight yards against the bar.

As the Avenue tried to clear the danger, O’Neill grabbed a loose ball, worked possession onto his right foot and curled an effort, from 25 yards, towards goal but Dan Atkinson produced an unbelievable fingertip save to deny the striker as the ball thundered off the underside of the bar and into the goalkeeper’s hands.

Maguire was forced off with an injury as was replaced by Luke Charman for Darlo, but that didn’t affect the Avenue’s gameplan as they nearly doubled their advantage. 

Marriott found Knight who ran at the defence and the striker fired a low right-footed shot from 20 yards which was pushed away by goalkeeper Johnny Saltmer.

After the restart, the Avenue continued to look for a quick counter-attack to hurt their opponents but it was Darlington FC who came close to an equaliser.

From a similar position to the goal, Sousa delivered a free-kick into the box, but Boyes was the first to react and crucially flick the ball away from the head of Louis Laing.

The Avenue were struggling to get out of their own half, but all the play was in front of them and with nine men behind the ball, Bradford continued to frustrate the home side.

O’Neill was dropping deeper to get the ball and after looking up, he spotted an unmarked Campbell on the edge of the box. Just as he got a shot away, Mark Ross and Luca Havern bravely threw their bodies at the ball to take the pace out of his effort making it an easier save for Atkinson.

The Avenue number one was forced into another fine save as midfielder Joe Wheatley, who’d been kept relatively quiet by the impressive Marriott, drove forward and rather than passing, he hit a low right-footed strike from 20 yards, which was well saved by Atkinson.

After a cheeky chip from substitute Jarrett Rivers being saved by the outstretched hand of Atkinson, the Avenue got the opportunity they wanted. Dockerty set himself up, 25 yards from goal, and with a gap between the two defenders, the number nine fired an excellent strike which was tipped against the bar by Saltmer.

Into additional time, the Avenue remain organised and disciplined. After seeing O’Neill’s effort fly over from 25 yards, Bradford were tested one final time. They cleared the ball away but Hedley controlled the ball, made a great connection from distance, and his shot brushed the top of the bar to the relief of the visitors.

Darlington FC: Saltmer, Hedley, Watson, Laing, Atkinson, Sousa, Reid, Wheatley (Hudson 86), Campbell (Rivers 64), Maguire (Charman 31), O’Neill

Subs not used: Minter, Storey

Yellow: Wheatley 

Bradford (Park Avenue): Atkinson, Ross, Boyes, Marriott, Havern (c), Windass, Toulson, Hibbs, Dockerty, Knight (Clee 76), Sanyang

Subs not used: Downing, Huffer, L.Lyons

Goal: Havern (15)

Yellow cards: Havern, Hibbs

Referee: Jonny Urwin

Attendance: Behind-closed-doors

The Bucks opened the scoring as possession was given away by Mark Ross and the ball ended at the feet of Dominic McHale who fired home from 18 yards. The winger scored his second, quickly after the break, with an excellent strike from 20 yards before Lewis Knight’s goal set up a nervy finish.

In a cautious start to the game, there were few chances for both teams. The visitors enjoyed some early ball but were unable to trouble Dan Atkinson in the Bradford goal, despite McHale blasting over from 14 yards.

The Avenue should’ve done better with two opportunities at goal.

Nicky Clee was enjoying some early success in the centre of park and after running towards the touchline, he crossed the ball to Adam Nowakowski, but the number nine nodded wide from 12 yards.

Minutes later, Isaac Marriott turned inside his marker in the box, but with Nowakowski unmarked to his left, the midfielder dragged his left-footed effort wide from 12 yards.

And the Bucks made the most of that missed chance to break the deadlock. Throughout the first 45, the Avenue were giving away some cheap possession on several occasions and as Ross lost it down the right wing, a pass was played to McHale who was clinical and struck a powerful strike into the bottom corner.

A couple of minutes after half time, McHale doubled his side’s advantage as the Avenue cleared the ball to the winger, and his excellent left-footed effort was too quick for Atkinson from 25 yards.

The Bucks midfielder Andy Bond, who was cautioned in the first half, received his second yellow card after tripping Nicky Clee inside the centre-circle. 

Both teams had appeals for a penalty but referee David McNamara waved away the protests before Bradford reduced the deficit.

Brad Dockerty found plenty of space down the left wing and the winger pulled the ball back to Knight who miss hit his left-footed strike but the ball found the back of the net from close range.

But the Bucks defended well, allowing the Avenue possession inside their own half but dealt well with any danger.

The only chance that nearly saw the hosts equalise was from Dockerty into added on time. The winger ran across the edge of the box and after seeing the goal, he curled a right-footed effort just wide of the post .

Bradford (Park Avenue): Atkinson, Ross (Sanyang 86), Boyes, Marriott, Lund, Havern (c) (Ibrian 55), Knight, Hibbs, Nowakowski (Toulson 46), Dockerty, Clee.

Subs not used: Windass, Downing.

Goal: Knight (68)

AFC Telford United: Griffiths, Vaughan, Streete, Byrne (Davies 46), Lilly, Jones, Hardy (White 81), Walker, Bond, Oswell, McHale.

Subs not used: Barnes-Homer, Bower, Williams

Goal: McHale (26), (47)

Yellow cards: Bond, McHale

Referee: David McNamara

Attendance: Behind-closed-doors

The visitors took the lead as Connor Woods beat his man and his cross was converted by Jordan Archer. Into the second half, it was Woods who doubled their advantage, catching Atkinson off his line from 30 yards.

It was the home side that dominated the early stages and could’ve taken an early advantage.

After good work from Nicky Clee and Adam Nowakowski, a loose ball was struck first time by midfielder Isaac Marriott from 20 yards which deflected wide.

After a penalty shout from the Avenue dugout for an alleged foul on Jake Hibbs, which was waved away by the referee,  Nowakowski had two decent chances to break the deadlock.

A lovely cross from Harry Boyes was met by the number nine and, leaning back, Nowakowski nodded over from eight yards.

Shortly after, a back-pass to goalkeeper Daniel Hanford saw the No.1 make a mistake and Nowakowski was alert to the rebound, but Hanford recovered to make a save.

As the half went on, Liam Watson’s side were having success down their right wing with Woods and Matt Challoner striking up a good partnership and they were rewarded for their efforts.

Woods got behind his marker near the touchline and fizzed a low ball into the box. Archer got in front of his man to tap home from close range.

Into added time, the Avenue nearly equalised as Clee weaved his way through a gap, staying on his feet after an earlier challenge, but his delivery was flicked over by Hibbs from 14 yards.

After the break, a similar pattern of play continued as the visitors seemed content to allow Bradford have possession in their own half, as long, diagonal balls were failing to stick up front.

It was Southport FC who scored the next, vital, goal to seal victory. A long throw from Lewis Knight was nodded away and Woods was set free near the touchline. The winger spotted Atkinson off his line, and after the goalkeeper slipped on the surface, the ball looped over him and into the the net from 30 yards.

Despite making substitutions, Mark Bower’s side were finding it difficult to break down a stubborn and disciplined opponent. Despite a second yellow card for Matt Challoner, Southport FC restricted the Avenue, who didn’t trouble Hanford and in the end, eased to a victory in West Yorkshire.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Atkinson, Ross, Boyes, Marriott, Lund (Downing 84), Havern (c), Toulson (Sanyang 66), Hibbs, Nowakowski, Knight, Clee (Windass 78)

Subs not used: Huffer, L.Lyons 

Yellow cards: Lund, Nowakowski, Marriott

Southport FC: Hanford, Oliver, Doyle, Benjamin ( Anson, Ali 72), Morgan, Woods (Vassallo 84), Challoner, Archer (Carver 79) Watson, Bainbridge.

Subs not used: McMillan, Winnard, Vassallo.

Goal: Archer (26), Woods (68)

Yellow cards: Challoner x2, Ali

Red: Challoner

Referee: Paul Cooper