Marshall bags all-important goal for wasteful Bradford Park Avenue (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Richard Marshall bags all-important goal for wasteful Bradford Park Avenue

4:53pm Sunday 3rd February 2013 in Sport By Ian Whiting

Bradford Park Avenue 1, Solihull Moors 0

Bradford Park Avenue leapfrogged visitors Solihull Moors to rocket back up into the top half of the Blue Square Bet North table with a well-deserved three points from a game they dominated.

Coming after a run of seven games without a win, it was Avenue’s tenth league victory of the season and any other result would have been a travesty.

Moors goalkeeper Jasbir Singh made what saves there were to make in a goalless first half.

It was a period of frustration for Avenue’s management team and supporters but one in which the players were comfortable. The only thing lacking was a goal threat – and that was soon addressed.

In the first minute of the second half, Richard Marshall was put through by Alex Davidson but the ball just ran away from him and into Singh’s grasp.

It was only a rehearsal, however, as in the next minute Marshall was on to a through ball from Paul Walker and this time he did not fluff his lines, stabbing the ball past the keeper on that occasion.

The visitors were picking up silly yellow cards as the frustration of Avenue dominating the game without really putting it out of their reach took its toll.

The home side were pushing for a second but the Moors goal appeared to lead a charmed life.

A Nathan Hotte shot cannoned back off the post, while Davidson’s effort spun back off Singh but the Avenue forwards allowed the visitors’ defence time to clear from near the line.

James Knowles hit a half-volley just wide following a corner, Davidson fired over and Jordan Deacey had a shot blocked by Singh and was poised to smash home the rebound but the ball dropped agonisingly just behind the line for a goalkick.

Moors finished with ten men after Junior English picked up his second yellow card in the second minute of stoppage time.

With Avenue’s run of games against top clubs and their return of just one point from the last available 21 very much in mind, boss John Deacey said: “It was a very important win.

“It would have been a good one if we had taken our chances but, again, we didn’t. It was a worry that we never got the second goal – how many one-on-ones do we need?

“But we definitely deserved the win. Their (Solihull’s) people were complaining to the referee at the end and I thought that was unfair. They could have had no complaints about that result or the officials’ handling of it.”