Harrogate Town 0, Bradford Park Avenue 2

BRADFORD Park Avenue defied the odds to pull off a deserved derby victory at Harrogate Town as they look to edge away from the Vanarama Conference North relegation zone.

The confidence-boosting win lifted John Deacey's side one place to 18th and leaves them four points above the trap door and just five points behind 13th-placed Harrogate.

It was the ideal preparation for Avenue ahead of another derby as they host Farsley in the quarter-finals of the West Riding County Cup on Monday night.

The Bradford side could have been playing against ten men from the quarter-hour mark at the CNG Stadium.

Lamin Colley went down in the area after a heavy challenge and the referee pointed to the penalty spot, before noticing his assistant had raised an offside flag.

The call most certainly saved the match official from having to brandish a red card at the culpable Town defender.

The visitors were already a goal to the good at that point as Chib Chilaka had broken the deadlock in the fifth minute. He took a through- ball from Joe Colbeck and finished well against his former club.

Avenue had keeper John Danby to thank for that lead being intact midway through the first half. He pulled off a stunning save to tip a superbly-struck Craig Nelthorpe free-kick over the bar.

Harrogate keeper Phil Barnes was also busy, with Chilaka, Colbeck and Danny Frost all testing him before half-time.

Having started the first half with an early goal, Avenue repeated the dose after the interval to stun the home side. Frost burst through and lashed a shot from long range into the top corner of Barnes' net.

Town thought they had halved the deficit in the next minute but Danby had been fouled and the keeper needed treatment.

Soon after it was Avenue's turn to have the ball in the net but Chilaka had been found by Colbeck in an offside position.

There were more chances at both ends but it was a comfortable win for Avenue and a vital one.

Paul Walker returned to the starting line-up after a back injury and Fernando Moke made his debut, with loan players Niall Heaton and George Smith dropping out.

They could be in line for starting berths tomorrow evening as Deacey insisted he would need to rotate his players with three big games in an eight-day spell.