Hyde 1 Bradford Park Avenue 3

Bradford Park Avenue continued their climb towards a mid-table finish after a comfortable win at already-relegated Hyde in the Conference North today.

They put the disappointment of Saturday’s postponement at home to AFC Fylde behind them to put in a match-winning first-half display.

They broke the deadlock at Ewan Fields from the penalty spot after Sam Patterson was brought down in the 26th minute. The experienced Richard Marshall gave the home keeper time to commit himself before stroking the ball low into the opposite side of the net.

Just two minutes later, leading scorer Chib Chilaka headed in the visitors’ second after good work and a great cross from Craig King.

Avenue took an unassailable lead right on the stroke of half-time when skipper Simon Ainge met a Paul Walker corner. Ainge’s header hit a defender on the line but the assistant referee confirmed that the whole of the ball had crossed the whitewash.

Basement club Hyde still showed spirit and the second half was an even affair. King blotted his copybook by conceding a penalty 17 minutes from time but he was bailed out by his keeper as John Danby saved Andy Pearson’s spot-kick.

The home side got their consolation goal which their second-half performance warranted into the third minute of stoppage-time. Substitute Erike Sousa pounced to beat Danby after a Josh Brizell shot had deflected off King.

Elsewhere, FARSLEY’S woeful end of season form continued as they lost their Evo-Stik First Division North derby clash with BRIGHOUSE TOWN 1-0 at Throstle Nest.

Ernest Boafo drilled a 13th-minute shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area to win it for Paul Quinn’s men.

It was a maximum Easter for Brighouse after their 3-1 home win over Kendal Town on Saturday but Farsley ended the holiday period empty-handed after back-to-back defeats.