Considering how poor the weather was, there was a decent turnout at Horsfall for the Avenue Reserves’ league fixture against Leeds City.
Avenue occupied fifth place in the table, just one spot above the visitors who have played fewer games.
Despite it being Avenue’s 11th fixture of the season, amazingly it was just the second one they have played at home. In driving rain Avenue began by attacking the Bus Stop end, but it was Leeds City who began better and it was they who were calling the tune. They moved the ball around really well, utilising both wings but it was down the left where most of the danger came from.
Luke Morris had already made a couple of clearances in the early stages, but it’s just as well that he was on hand to make a marvellous double save on the line to prevent a Leeds goal.
However, after five minutes Leeds gained a free kick just outside the area in a central position. It came about after an awkward bounce hit Junior Thokoza on the hand, but the set piece cleared the Avenue wall, cleared Morris, before clipping the top of the bar.
Three minutes later Avenue had a similar free kick of their own, after McKenzie Murphy was fouled, but their effort cleared the bar on this occasion.
Leeds were the more accomplished side on the ball and were looking the more likely of the two teams to break the deadlock, which they did in the 27th minute.
A flowing move, this time down the right wing, saw the Leeds player cut inside and hit an angled drive that evaded everyone, including Morris and the ball flew into the Avenue net.
On the balance of play it was deserved by the away side, but moments later, Avenue had a chance of their own when a tempting cross from Murphy flew across the face of the Leeds goal, but the Avenue forwards failed to get a touch.
It almost proved very costly as Leeds, with their next attack, should have scored, but the ball was struck straight at the Avenue goalkeeper.
From that moment, Avenue suddenly got a grip of things. Josh Owen had been strangely quiet in the opening half hour, as were a couple of his teammates, but he was involved in a move that led to Jayden Cuffe shooting from distance, the attempt bringing out a wonderful save by the Leeds custodian.
Moments later, Owen got on the end of another lovely cross from Murphy, only to shoot agonisingly wide.
With 40 minutes on the clock, Cuffe found himself haring in on goal, but once again he was denied by a terrific save by the Leeds goalkeeper.
In the final minute of the half, Michael Douglas was the next Avenue player to be thwarted when his shot was blocked by a last ditch tackle.
Avenue could have felt a tad frustrated at not going in level, but then again, they could so easily have gone in further behind.
The momentum that Avenue had built up in the final 15 minutes of the first half, continued immediately upon the resumption and it took just five minutes for them to draw level. A shot from Owen produced another super save from the Leeds goalkeeper and from the resulting corner by M. Douglas, his brother Connor, managed to get the final touch to force the ball over the line.
The equaliser was richly deserved and for the next 15 minutes Avenue, built up a head of steam. The next chance came via a free kick, just before the hour, when a free kick taken by M. Douglas flew under the wall, drawing yet another terrific save to frustrate the home side.
It wasn’t completely one-way traffic as Leeds continued to play some excellent football and were given a golden opportunity to retake the lead when they were awarded a penalty after Morris brought down a forward inside the area. The Avenue goalkeeper had saved penalties in the previous two games and he excelled himself on this occasion by getting down to his right and smothering the ball.
Avenue found themselves under pressure and minutes later, after conceding a corner they failed to detect a Leeds player running into the area. He rose higher than anyone else to head home and Avenue had to build again.
As I’ve said on numerous occasions, this young Avenue side have an incredible fighting spirit within them and they soon got back to work, searching for the goal that would bring them level and it was a number of substitutions that set the tone for what followed.
Murphy, Mason Brewis and Haris Khan made way for Reuben Armitage, Jack Revans and Rico Feltham respectively and away they went.
After a tricky first half hour, Owen was now controlling things for Avenue, ably assisted by his teammates who had all stepped up a gear. With five minutes left on the clock and the rain pouring down, Avenue launched another attack. The ball was moved infield from the right and it came to one of the substitutes, Revans, who played the most wonderful defence splitting pass for the onrushing M. Douglas who was hugging the left byline. The Avenue number 11 raced in and from a tight angle, albeit close range he slid a shot in that crossed the line via a helping hand from a defenders foot.
At 2-2, it made sense to batten down the hatches and preserve an unbeaten home record that stretches back to the whole of last season and in all, the draw would have been the right result given the standard of football by both sides.
Just after the equaliser, Cuffe was denied by the latest save from the Leeds goalkeeper, the resulting corner headed over by Lionicio Gama.
However, in the final minute, Avenue clinched a dramatic, spectacular, if fortunate winner, Gaining possession on the right wing, just inside their own half, Owen played a two yard pass to Armitage, another of the substitutes, who, seeing the Leeds goalkeeper off his line, hit a near 50 yard shot that was caught by the wind. Pedalling back, the goalkeeper stretched his hand out and made contact with the ball but couldn’t prevent it from ending up in the back of the net. The players and staff went wild, as did the fans in the stand and Avenue claimed the unlikeliest of victories.
At 2-2, such a result would have been fair and Leeds City will wonder how they let this slip. Against what I believe to have been the best side Avenue have faced this season, a point would have been commendable given how experienced the visitors were, so the winner at the very end is a huge bonus for this group.
The game itself was played in a great spirit and well refereed. Owen gets the MOTM, having covered acres of grass but several more ran him close, all including the coaching staff deserving great credit.
These lads are representing Bradford (Park Avenue) in the West Riding Cup on Tuesday night and this is an appeal for all Avenue fans to turn up at Horsfall to support them.
Match report by Paul Waterhouse