The Avenue started well as the rain cleared in time for kick-off. With players playing in unfamiliar positions, Jordan Windass crossed the ball from his right wing but Adam Nowakowski’s header was saved by Matt Urwin from eight yards.

The away side weathered the early storm and started to create plenty of chances  themselves. Looking to their number nine Harry Cardwell, the Magpies worked the ball into his feet on several occasions but he was denied by Dan Atkinson.

Then, the striker had two great opportunities to give his side the lead. One header was saved expertly at the near post and another from a corner went wide, despite being unmarked in the penalty area.

As the half went on, it was Mark Bower’s men who could’ve opened the scoring. Isaac Marriott dribbled past three players and his final shot was pushed wide by Urwin from 20 yards.

Shortly after, Jamie Lyons was unlucky not to score. An excellent cross from Windass was toe-poked by the Academy starlet towards goal, forcing Urwin into another fine save from close range.

After the break, Chorley FC were quick out of the blocks and took the game to the hosts.

Within the opening couple of minutes, Elliott Newby tried to catch Atkinson out at his near post but the Avenue number one made a fine save with his outstretched leg.

Then, a big moment in the game saw striker Connor Hall brought down, 30 yards from goal, by Atkinson. The referee went to speak to his assistant and the goalkeeper a yellow card.

A few minutes later, defender Lewis Baines found himself in the penalty area, but his header from a Newby cross flashed wide from 12 yards.
The Avenue, having not conceded, grew in confidence and nearly broke the deadlock. Jake Hibbs pulled the ball back from the right wing to substitute Lewis Knight, who tapped the ball into the feet of Windass, but the winger’s right-footed shot was saved by Urwin.

Then, a second game-changing decision saw Atkinson give away a penalty, after bringing down Hall inside the box. Substitute Lewis Reilly stepped up and Atkinson, somehow, made a stunning save to his right and got back up to make an equally impressive block from the rebound.
With the final whistle approaching, the Avenue nearly snatched a dramatic winner.

Harry Boyes, once again impressing in the white and green jersey, received a neat pass from Nicky Clee, and the left back’s effort took a deflection which brushed past the post from 14 yards.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Atkinson, Ross, Boyes, Marriott, Havern (c), Lund, Toulson, Hibbs, Nowakowski (Knight 46), Windass (Downing 80), Lyons (Clee 52)

Sub not used: Fawcett

Yellow: Atkinson

Chorley FC: Urwin, Birch, Walker, Halls, Leather (c), Baines, Shenton (Reilly 70), Calveley, Cardwell, Hall, Newby (Conn-Clarke 64)

Subs not used: Smith, Marah, Garrett

Yellow: Halls

Attendance: Behind-closed-doors 

Referee: Aaron Bannister

The winger opened his account tapping home a cross from Brad Dockerty before back-heeling the ball into the bottom corner following a one-two with Adam Nowakowski.

With only a minute on the clock, Dockerty used his pace down the right wing and pulled an excellent cross into the box which was converted by Johnson from close range.

Back at the beginning of the year, Nicky Clee nearly scored an extraordinary goal from 45 yards at Edgar Street and the midfielder tried his luck with a similar attempt, but goalkeeper Paul White was alert to make sure the Avenue didn’t extend their lead.

It was clear to see the team from West Yorkshire had spoken about the mistakes made at Kettering and were dealing with the direct approach from the Bulls, with long throws and deep crosses cleared away from danger. They restricted the hosts to long range efforts but they were nearly punished. 

Luke Haines decided to unleash a stunning strike from 25 yards which smashed against the woodwork.

A minute later, the Avenue won a free-kick, 20 yards from goal. Dockerty stepped up and struck an effort underneath the wall which was saved by White who quickly got up and blocked Luca Havern’s rebound from close range.

After watching Dockerty leave the field with an injury, the Avenue nearly conceded an equaliser as Lennell John-Lewis got the better of Mitch Lund and got away a shot on target, which was cleared off the line by the excellent left-back Harry Boyes.

The pressure continued as a loose ball from Lund was collected by midfielder Tom Owen-Evans who hit a lovely right-footed effort towards goal forcing Dan Atkinson into a fine save.

With the Bulls looking dangerous, the Avenue were clinical and scored a wonderful goal. Johnson dribbled past a couple of defenders, and after a neat flick from Nowakowski, the number seven, with his back to goal, produced a cheeky back-heel to give his side a two-goal lead.

From the restart, captain Jared Hodgkiss delivered a teasing ball into the penalty area and Dan Jones managed to get a toe to the ball but, luckily for the Avenue, brushed the post and went wide.

The second half got underway with Josh Gowling making a double substitution to get back into the game.

But Mark Bower’s side remained organised and disciplined, restricting their opponents in the final third. It was the team in amber who could’ve added a third.

Nowakowski, leading the line well all evening, tapped the ball into the path of his supporting midfielder Isaac Marriott. The young number four tried to curl a strike from 20 yards on target, but with White at full-stretch, the ball flew inches wide.

Twenty minutes later, Johnson could and probably should’ve had a hat-trick. A corner from Clee was flicked at the near post by Nowakowski to the unmarked winger, but off-balance, Johnson nodded over from eight yards.

As the clock approached 90 minutes, Bradford were resilient across the park, with the Bulls struggling to trouble Atkinson in the away goal. 

The full time whistle was blown to the delight of the visitors and three fully deserved points headed back to the Horsfall.

Hereford FC: White, Hodgkiss (c), Haines, Grimes, Wright, A.Jones (Klukowski 46), Owen-Evans (Mooney 46), Lloyd (Coke 74), John-Lewis, Finn, D.Jones

Subs not used: McQuilkin, Digie

Yellows: Jones, Owen-Evans 

Bradford (Park Avenue): Atkinson, Ross, Boyes, Marriott, Havern, Lund, Johnson (Downing 87), Hibbs, Nowakowski, Dockerty (Windass 28), Clee.

Subs not used: Toulson, Fawcett, Lyons

Goals: Johnson (1), (38)

The home side took the lead inside the first few minutes with a speculative effort from Ben Stephens who caught Dan Atkinson off his line from 35 yards and the ball flew into the top corner.

Shortly after, a quick short-corner caught the Avenue and Ben Milnes’ delivery from the right wing was nodded home by Joshua Scott past Atkinson.

The midfielder doubled his tally for the afternoon as a long throw from Connor Kennedy was met by Scott, and his header went in the bottom corner from 12 yards.

After the break and with the wind in their favour, the Avenue started much better, trying to hit the channels and cause a few problems for the Poppies defence.

With the first minute of the restart, Luca Havern smashed the ball onto the opposition woodwork and Johnson was there to scramble home the rebound home after a Nicky Clee corner was half-cleared into the path of the Avenue captain.

But, Paul Cox’s side eased back into the game, and did a professional job to calm down their opponents early dominance.

The away side were restricted to very few chances, with Adam Collin making easy saves from Oli Johnson and Brad Dockerty.

It could’ve finished 4-1 but substitute Ben Acquaye was played through on goal but Isaac Marriott chased back and put in a superb block.

Kettering Town: Collin, Stohrer, McGrath, Milnes, Fryatt, Graham, Scott, Kennedy, Oyinsan, Stephens (Richens 72), Sherriff (Acquaye 80)

Subs not used: Bickley, Chisolm, Wilson.

Goals: Stephens (3), Scott (15), (35).

Yellows: Kennedy, Acquaye, McGrath

Bradford (Park Avenue): Atkinson, Ross, Boyes, Marriott, Havern, Lund, Johnson (Hussain 75), Hibbs (Bradley 83), Nowakowski, Dockerty, Clee.

Subs not used: Toulson, Windass, Downing.

Goal: Johnson (46)

Yellow: Hibbs