Match Report: Bradford (Park Avenue) vs York City FC

Back to back defeats see Mark Bower’s out of form Avenue requiring a victory against Chorley on Saturday to guarantee a play-off spot.

Bower made a number of changes after Friday’s loss at Darlington in an attempt to secure a vital win, recalling Danny Lowe straight into the starting side after recovering from injury. Bower also granted starts to Nowakowski and Johnson who came into the starting 11 in place of Fridays Man of the Match Romoney Crichlow-Noble and Alex Hurst.

The few chances of note in the first half fell to York City who were invited onto the Avenue defence at times in a scrappy first half that saw neither team take the initiative to press.

The game burst to life in the second period.

Bradford ( Park Avenue) started the half brightly with Nowakowski firing over after some impressive build up play. This was then followed up by a 30 yard strike from Conor Branson which beat the York ‘keeper but hit the bar.

Bradford’s afternoon then peaked when a free-kick five minutes into the second half was expertly dispatched by Lewis Knight from 25 yards into the top left corner of the York City net, giving Avenue the lead.

The joy was short lived however as, despite some resilient defending, Bradford’s defence was opened up in the 67th minute with McLaughlin’s goal putting the teams on level terms.

Bradford’s Man of the Match Charlie Andrew then produced some smart saves to keep the sides level, however this changed when Burrow’s strike from the edge of the area found the back of the net, giving York a 2-1 lead in the 80th minute.

It got worse for Bradford and a frustrated home support, when Captain Shane Killock brought down Burrow who was through on goal, resulting in a straight red card. York then piled on the misery when, in the 91st minute Ex-Avenue loanee Macaulay Langstaff scored, which ultimately condemned Bradford to a 3-1 defeat.

As a result Bradford now require a victory against Chorley away, who they beat 1-0 at home early in the season, to guarantee a spot in the play-offs with any other result putting it out of Bradford’s hands.

Teams

Bradford (Park Avenue): Andrew, Ross, Lowe, Nowakowski (Hurst 85), Killock, Havern, East (Spencer 66), Branson, Beesley, Johnson (Lewis-Potter 87), Knight.

Unused substitutes: Toulson, Crichlow-Noble.

York City: Whitley, Griffiths, Tait, Newton, Ferguson; York (Harris 55), McLaughlin, Burgess; Kempster, Burrow, Langstaff.

Unused substitutes: Law, Moon, Dyer, Bartlett.

Attendance: 775

Referee: Sam Barratt

Bookings
Langstaff – York (Yellow)
Killock – Bradford (Red)

Goals

51’ – L.Knight (Bradford)
67′ Paddy McLaughlin (York City)
80′ Jordan Burrow (York City)
90+1′ Macaulay Langstaff (York City)

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