Buoyed by their first league win last Saturday, the Avenue Reserves side made the short journey to Oxenhope on Wednesday evening.
The home side, who were promoted alongside Avenue last season, have found life very difficult in Division One, losing their opening three games.
Playing up the hill in the first half, the Avenue started brightly, threatening the home defence. After five minutes, Jayden Cuffe hit a lovely curling shot that brought a stunning one handed save from the Oxenhope goalkeeper. The visitors took the lead in the 12th minute, when a long ball up up the slope fell to Michael Douglas, who was on the edge of the home penalty area. A deft clip with the outside of his right foot sailed past the stranded goalkeeper and inside the far post. In the following few minutes, Cuffe and Douglas both went close to increasing Avenue’s lead.
Apart from a shot over the bar in a rare home attack, it was all Avenue and their dominance was rewarded in the 20th minute when the impressive Douglas, after some fancy footwork, delivered a cross for Josh Owen to head home.
However, things began to change after a needless foul brought a free kick for Oxenhope in the 27th minute. A rasping drive hit the back of the net and the splendid effort got the home side back in the game. The goal really spurred them on and they seemed to take the initiative, as Avenue had to scrap for the ball.
For a while it looked to be getting very uncomfortable for the visitors, but just on, half time, a shot from Owen brought another superb save from the home goalkeeper. The Avenue held a 2-1 lead at the break.
After the interval, it was the home side who had the edge and they certainly didn’t look like a side that had lost three on the bounce. But, the Avenue used their quality and got some breathing space in the 63rd minute, when Douglas turned beautifully inside the penalty area, before lashing home a rocket of a shot.
Six minutes later, Cuffe got Avenue’s fourth goal with a free-kick. The Reserves manager Owen Murphy made several substitutions and it was one of them, Lucas Shaw who produced a wonderful cameo appearance in the final ten minutes.
Douglas, had once again been outstanding for Avenue, and in the 80th minute, he turned provider as his cross was met by Shaw, and his looping header flew over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Still they pushed forward, and with five minutes remaining, Shaw slammed home a shot from close range to wrap up a comfortable win.
Match report by: Paul Waterhouse