Match Report provided by Charlie Elliott
Date: Saturday, 5th April 2025
Venue: Debdale Park
Kick-off: 3:00 PM
Bradford (Park Avenue) made the trip to Debdale Park on Saturday, 5th April to take on Sherwood Colliery in a competitive Northern Premier League East Division clash. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with Jordan Preston opening the scoring for Avenue in the first half, before Carter Widdowson equalised from the penalty spot early in the second half.
Avenue started brightly, controlling possession and moving the ball confidently, creating problems for the home side. Early efforts from inside and outside the box tested the Sherwood goalkeeper, who was forced into a couple of smart saves.
Despite their dominance, Avenue couldn’t find the breakthrough early on. Sherwood had a good chance in the 22nd minute when Robson Doolan struck well from the edge of the box, but Cameron Mason produced a fantastic save to keep the score level. Gabriel Wadsworth also had a go from distance for Avenue, but his effort lacked power.
The breakthrough came in the 30th minute. Avenue sliced through Sherwood’s midfield with slick passing, and Sonny Whittingham delivered a pinpoint cross from just outside the box. Paddy Sykes met it with a powerful header that was brilliantly saved by Jordan Pierrepont, but Sykes reacted quickly to square the rebound to Jordan Preston, who slotted the ball home from close range to make it 1-0.
Sherwood responded almost immediately with a ball over the top to Charlie Clements, but he failed to make solid contact, and Mason collected comfortably. Just before the break, Whittingham nearly doubled Avenue’s lead with a curling effort that went narrowly wide.
Early in the second half, Preston held the ball up well before laying it off to Sykes, who drove into the box but blazed his shot over the bar. Moments later, Sherwood launched another long ball forward, with Alexander Duhameau getting in behind the Avenue defence. As he touched the ball past Mason, the Avenue keeper brought him down. The referee pointed to the spot and Mason received a booking. Carter Widdowson stepped up and sent Mason the wrong way to level the score at 1-1 in the 54th minute.
Sherwood grew into the game and continued to exploit balls in behind Avenue’s defence. Mason had to rush out and head clear under pressure, but the ball fell kindly for Sherwood. Clements fired a shot off the post, and William Gillies’ follow-up was superbly saved by Mason.
Clements remained a threat and soon found Harry Bircumshaw unmarked in the box, but once again, Mason pulled off a tremendous save to keep the scores level.
Avenue gradually regained control and began to string passes together again. Sykes had another chance after Josh Ashman flicked the ball into his path, but his near-post effort was well saved by Pierrepont.
As the match became more open, Sherwood looked dangerous going forward, particularly through Clements. In one dramatic moment, a defensive slip left Avenue facing a four-on-one situation, but captain Mark Beevers made a heroic block to deny a certain goal.
Iyrwah Gooden impressed down the left, beating his marker and fizzing a dangerous cross into the box which nearly deflected in off a Sherwood defender for an own goal, but the ball somehow stayed out.
Avenue pushed hard in the final 10 minutes. Myles La Bastide cut inside from the right and struck a powerful effort towards the near post, but Pierrepont made another good stop. Deep into stoppage time, Avenue failed to clear their lines and Ewan Robson unleashed a well-struck volley from inside the area, but Mason held on once more to secure a point.
The game ended level, with both sides sharing the spoils in a hard-fought encounter that saw strong performances from both goalkeepers.