The home side took the lead as Matty Waters found the bottom corner from 12 yards. Two second half goals from Robert Evans and Dan Cowan secured victory for the Nash during an eventful game.

The visitors started brightly, looking to continue their similar pattern of play that was successful in the win against York City on Boxing Day.

Lewis Knight was playing on the shoulder of the two centre-backs and Brad Dockerty was causing problems, drifting off the wing to support the young striker.

Knight came close to opening the scoring as he shrugged off Harry Flowers in a 50-50 challenge before forcing goalkeeper Cameron Mason into a fine save from 16 yards.

Five minutes later, Steve Cunningham’s side showed the threat they had in attack as winger Darren Stephenson, who impressed throughout the game, sent in a lovely cross towards the far post but Connor Hughes was a couple yards short of connecting with the delivery.

After seeing his half-volley go over from 20 yards, Ryan Toulson, returning from suspension, was shown a dubious yellow card. Then, a pivotal moment in the game happened almost 30 seconds later.

With the ball close to the away dugout, Matty Downing went to intercept the ball but Alex Curran went down under the challenge on the touchline. The referee, Kristian Silcock, wasted no time to reach for his back pocket and show the right-back a red card, to the surprise and anger of the Avenue dugout.

Down to ten-man and reeling from the decision, the Avenue had to withstand pressure from the hosts.

After Harry Flowers hit the woodwork with a header, the Nash took the lead. Samuel Walker picked out the run of left-back Waters who escaped Will Longbottom on the left wing. After turning onto his right foot, Waters’ effort went through the legs of goalkeeper Dan Atkinson and into the back of the net.

Despite passing the ball between each other, the home side didn’t trouble Atkinson and were nearly caught in possession and punished before the half-time whistle.

Waters took too much time on the ball and Knight was alert to win the ball from his feet, but his shot from inside the box was pushed wide by Mason.

After the restart, and with Mark Bower changing the formation, the game opened up a bit more.

After scoring a wonderful goal at the weekend, Harry Boyes tried his luck from distance again, but his 35 yard shot went wide of Mason’s post.

As the Avenue pushed forward, the Nash found gaps in the middle of the park and were denied their second goal by two superb saves from Atkinson.

The ball ricocheted into the path of Evans who was one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but Atkinson made himself big and made a great save with his feet.

Seconds later, Curran spotted a hole in the Avenue defence and, with his effort aimed towards the far corner from 14 yards, Atkinson’s strong right hand tipped the ball wide.

Those saves gave the Avenue hope and they came close to equalising. A lovely one-touch, one-two between Dockerty and Toulson, allowed the midfielder to drive into the box. Toulson drilled a low right-footed effort towards goal and Mason used all of his height to dive low and tip the ball wide around the post for a corner. But as Bradford players started to come forward for a corner, the Avenue were angry again with the referee, as he staggeringly pointed for a goal kick.

Following a couple of substitutions and the game open, the Nash doubled their advantage, scoring the vital second goal. Curran delivered a low cross into the box and a diving header from Evans saw the ball fly into the net, despite the best efforts of an outstretched Atkinson.

As seen during the season, there’s plenty of fight in this Bradford side. To try and get back into the game, Booty’s free-kick and Nicky Clee’s shot from 16 yards were well saved by Mason.

With the clock against Bradford, Curzon Ashton sealed the win with their third goal of the afternoon. Walker picked out defender Dan Cowan inside the penalty area and after turning his marker, Cowan fired a right-footed shot into the top corner from 14 yards. The Avenue had no time left for a dramatic comeback and left the Tameside Stadium beaten despite a battling performance with ten men.

Curzon Ashton: Mason, Mahon (Da Silva 77), Waters, Cowan, Flowers, Turnbull, Hughes (Hanson 70), Walker, Curran, Evans, Stephenson.

Subs not used: Stokes, McPartian, Southern

Goals: Waters (30), Evans (71), Cowan (88)

Bradford (Park Avenue): Atkinson, Ross, Boyes, Booty, L.Lyons, Downing, Longbottom, Nowakowski (Clee 63), Dockerty (Johnson 77), Knight (Hussain 84), Toulson

Subs not used: Fawcett, Sanyang

Referee: Kristian Silcock 

Attendance: Behind-closed-doors

Lewis Knight broke the deadlock following good work from Adam Nowakowski. The home side doubled their advantage as Regan Booty weaved his way through the Minstermen midfield to slot home from inside the box.

After the break, Jack Redshaw halved the deficit with a well-taken goal. Straight from the restart, Bradford restored their two-goal lead with a rebound from Lewis Knight.

The visitors scored their second of the afternoon through substitute Rob Guilfoyle before Harry Boyes fired a stunning 30 yard strike to seal the win for the Green Army.

With only five minutes on the clock, Nowakowski battled well in the middle of the park and fed a through ball to Knight. The young striker continued his rich vein of goalscoring form by striking a right-footed effort past Pete Jameson from 16 yards.

Knight nearly scored his second of the afternoon. A superb tackle from Matty Downing, who was a late addition instead of Jordan Windass, allowed Nicky Clee to hit a wonderful first time pass to Knight. The Avenue’s number ten got the better of Sean Newton but his shot trickled agonisingly wide.

Despite Steve Watson’s men enjoying the better of possession, they found themselves two goals behind. Booty, with some excellent footwork and skill, escaped three challenges and curled a lovely right-footed effort past Jameson.

The rest of the half belonged to the visitors.

Robbie Tinkler, in the centre of midfield, had space outside the box and forced Dan Atkinson into his first save of the evening.

Michael Duckworth, returning to the Horsfall Stadium, was causing problems with his deliveries from the wing. The right-back crossed the ball into the area, and despite being unmarked, striker Redshaw failed to hit the target from 14 yards.

Again, the visitors looked dangerous from corners and free-kicks but Atkinson wasn’t needed to make a save. In fact, the Avenue could’ve added a crucial third before the break.

Knight, who led the line extremely well throughout the game, took the ball around Jameson, and following good pressure from the defence, Knight was unable to find the net from eight yards.

From the resulting corner, the ball was fizzed towards Mark Ross, but the defender’s header flew just wide of the post.

Watson made two half time substitutions, replacing Olly Dyson and Paddy McLaughlin with Akil Wright and Guilfoyle.

Both teams had a few half-chances that failed to trouble respective goalkeepers until the away side reduced Avenue’s lead.

Redshaw, who was arguably the Minstermen’s best player, looked sharp on the turn, and after driving towards goal, the striker struck a low effort, which appeared to take a deflection and went past Atkinson, via the post, from 20 yards.

Immediately from the restart, the Avenue dampened the celebrations from the away side  to score their third of the game. Brad Dockerty dribbled through a couple of challenges inside the area before curling a right-footed shot towards goal. The ball bounced off the far post straight to the feet of Knight, who was unmarked, and he tapped home from ten yards.

A few minutes later, Redshaw came close to doubling his tally. The striker ran across the edge of the box and his shot was expertly saved with a strong left hand from Atkinson.

With twenty minutes remaining, young substitute Guilfoyle got his side back in the game. The striker created enough space to try his luck from distance. His low shot saw Atkinson rooted to the spot as the ball found the bottom corner.

Despite conceding, the Avenue looked dangerous in attack, playing some excellent free-flowing football. Booty, who continues to impress since joining the Avenue, nearly scored a 25 yard free-kick. 

Shortly after, Knight, on the left wing, delivered a teasing cross into the box to Dockerty, but his header went wide of the far post.

And then, the Avenue left-back Boyes scored a contender for goal of the season. Will Longbottom, who had a solid debut, spotted the loan signing from Sheffield United on the opposite side of the pitch. After taking a touch, Boyes drilled a spectacular left-footed shot from 30 yards into the top corner past Jameson. 

In the final ten minutes, the Avenue produced a professional display to hold onto their lead and secure a much-needed and clinical victory in the rain at the Horsfall Stadium.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Atkinson, Ross, Boyes, Booty, L.Lyons, Downing, Longbottom, Nowakowski, Knight, Dockerty, Clee (Sanyang 90)

Subs not used: J.Lyons, Fawcett, Hussain.

Goals: Knight (5), (57), Booty (20), Boyes (82)

Yellow: Longbottom (64)

York City: Jameson, Duckworth, Barrow, Newton, Brown, Tinkler (Guilfoyle 60), McLaughlin (Wright 45), Woods, Cassidy, Redshaw, Dyson (Bunn 45)

Subs not used: Flatters, Spratt.

Goals: Redshaw (56), Guilfoyle (70)

Yellow: Wright (90)

Referee: Tom Kirk

Attendance: Behind-closed-doors

The hosts took a deserved lead as Brad Jackson’s deep cross was nodded home by striker George Waring. The Blues extended their advantage with goals from Anthony Dudley and Will Goodwin before a consolation effort from Lewis Knight but the Avenue’s Wembley dream is over for another year.

The home side started the better team, switching the play to both flanks and looking for Waring and Goodwin to get the better of the Bradford defence, but they dealt well with the early pressure.

The away side could’ve broke the deadlock, making the most of a sloppy pass from left-back Jamie Morgan. Knight was the quickest to react and he saw his  shot fumbled by goalkeeper Louis Gray. From the rebound, Matty Downing was alert to try and score but he was denied by an excellent block from defender Kevin Roberts.

The men in blue and white started to increase the tempo and were rewarded with the opening goal. Jackson had time to take a touch and deliver a teasing cross for Waring at the far post. The striker found the bottom corner from 12 yards.

After the break, the momentum remained with the home side. After seeing a cross from Downing go just over Knight’s head, the Blues went on the counter attack. Anthony Dudley turned onto his right foot before being fouled by Luke Lyons inside the box. Referee Darren Rogers blew his whistle and pointed to the spot. Dudley got back to his feet and sent Avenue debutant goalkeeper Will Huffer the wrong way.

A number of substitutions saw the game lose its intensity but the home side looked comfortable with a two-goal lead and the Avenue struggling having already lost Jordan Windass and captain Luca Havern to injury to add to a growing list.

The Avenue introduced Tabish Hussain late in the second half and the winger made an impact on the right wing. But, unfortunately, his deliveries into the box were either cleared or unable to be converted by the Avenue strikers.

With only a couple of minutes left, a long ball towards Goodwin was headed back by Lyons, but it fell short of Huffer’s feet. The young Chester FC striker took the ball around the goalkeeper and slotted the ball into an unguarded net from 14 yards.

Into added time, Bradford scored a consolation as Hussain managed to squeeze a low cross into the penalty area and Knight was there to tap the ball past Gray from close range.

Chester FC: Gray, Roberts, Morgan, Weeks (Burke 79), Lacey, Grand, Jackson (Elliott 85), Clark, Goodwin, Waring (Marsh-Hughes 63), Dudley

Subs not used: Livesey, Glendon, Johnston, Bauress

Goals: Waring (21), Dudley (pen, 52), Goodwin (88)

Bradford (Park Avenue): Huffer, Ross, Boyes, L.Lyons, Havern (Hussain 60), Windass (Clee 45), Booty (J.Lyons 77), Hibbs, Dockerty, Knight, Downing

Sub not used: Atkinson

Goal: Knight (90)