Pre-season friendly: Ossett Town 0 Bradford Park Avenue 1

MARK Bower’s Bradford Park Avenue kept their momentum going with a fourth straight win as they returned from Ossett Town with their 100 per cent start intact.

It was a narrow victory on paper after one of Avenue’s trialists netted the only goal of the game in the first half, but in reality Bower’s men were good value for their win over a very good Evo-Stik Division One North outfit.

Avenue keeper Steve Drench was called into action early, while player-coach Matt Hill wasted the visitors’ first chance with a wayward attempt from distance.

Bower’s men seized the initiative just after the quarter hour when one of the three trialists in the starting line-up netted a superb strike.

The same player almost claimed an assist as he set Adam Boyes up in the 28th minute but the home keeper pulled off a fine save to deny Avenue’s close-season signing.

There were plenty of substitutions from both sides after the interval but Avenue remained much sharper.

One of Avenue’s trialists was former Ossett Town winger Cameron Lyn.

Thackley hosted their first friendly this term, and the visitors were Dennyboys’ manager Chris Reape’s former club Silsden.

It was not a happy reunion, however, for the Thackley boss as his old club ran out 2-1 winners.

The Cobbydalers, now under the stewardship of Danny Forrest, raced to a 2-0 lead with goals from Niall Sultan and Mark Everingham before the halfway point of the first half.

The Dennyboys had pegged one back before the break, with Mike Garrod netting in the 34th minute, but they couldn’t complete a comeback.

Tonight Farsley Celtic are back in action as they host Park Avenue’s Vanarama National League North counterparts Harrogate Town.

It will be the third pre-season friendly for both clubs, although Simon Weaver’s Harrogate have had an extra run out after taking on Leeds United behind closed doors.

It will be new Celts’ club captain Danny Ellis’ first game against his former club after he left Wetherby Road in the close season.

Harrogate will be the second of three National North sides visiting Throstle Nest this pre-season as York City were the first and Park Avenue come calling this Saturday in what is a tough build-up to the campaign for the new Farsley management team of Adam Lakeland and Mark Bett.

Campion are also at home as they host Liversedge, who are one division above their hosts in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League set-up.

Both clubs were in friendly action at the weekend, with Lee Bradshaw netting a brace for Campion in a 4-2 defeat at Silsden, while Sedge won 6-4 at home to Immingham Town.

Jonathan Rimmington’s side are averaging eight goals per game in pre-season but have not yet faced a club at Campion’s level, so a decent derby clash is on the cards at the sportsbulk.co.uk Stadium.