Bradford Park Avenue 2 Barrow 1

BARROW came to Horsfall Stadium confident of securing a win that would have lifted them up to second in the Vanarama Conference North but they came up against an Avenue side who had clearly not read the script.

It was Bradford’s first win in eight and a massive boost after a difficult week, which saw boss John Deacey lose his right hand man when assistant Mark Hume decided to leave the club.

Following a reshuffle, Deacey promoted fitness coach Martin Drury to assistant manager and Jamie Price was appointed player-coach.

The new set-up got off to the best possible start by toppling high-flying Barrow. The Bluebirds were unbeaten in nine but they headed back to Cumbria with nothing after a close game and a late Richard Marshall winner.

Deacey had used his contacts to bring in Bradford City’s Niall Heaton on a short-term loan and the youngster started.

He could have marked his Avenue debut with a goal but fired wide early on. Barrow had already threatened before then, with Jason Walker going close.

The home side’s Danny Frost blotted his copybook by picking up a yellow card for handball but that was soon forgotten as the lively forward fired Avenue into a 37th-minute lead.

The home side held their slender advantage until the break but gifted Barrow a way back just five minutes into the second half. Centre back Ryan Qualter allowed his man to get goal side and he foolishly pulled him back, Jason Walker netting the resulting penalty.

Marshall came on from the bench and also found himself in the referee’s notebook but he emulated Frost by then finding the back of the net. There was just a little under six minutes remaining when Marshall cut in from the left and unleashed a shot that billowed the netting in the roof of the goal.

Barrow were still looking to rescue at least a point from their trip, however Bradford keeper John Danby was only called into action once more and he made a good block to keep his side's lead intact.

Midfielder Jack Rea was Avenue’s man of the match, putting in a tireless display as Avenue hauled themselves three places up the table to 16th.