Consett 1 Bradford Park Avenue 2

Bradford will be in tomorrow’s FA Cup third qualifying round draw but only after late drama that saw them win through at a club three divisions below them.

Avenue boss Martin Drury had warned that taking on Consett on their 3G surface in the north east would be difficult.

The National League North outfit trailed 1-0 with just seven minutes remaining.

Leading scorer Chib Chilaka came off the bench to level the second qualifying round tie and a Richard Marshall special in the fourth minute of stoppage time broke the hearts of the plucky Northern League Division One hosts.

It was a case of breathing a heavy sigh of relief, commending and commiserating with the home side and getting on the bus home for Bradford.

Drury said: “It was tough for us, we didn’t adapt to the artificial surface as well as I would have liked, which meant we were unable to hit the high standards we’ve set ourselves over the last two or three games.

“We allowed Consett to make the game very condensed, which suited them a lot more than us. That being said, the character of our players was pleasing.

"When you go a goal down away from home against a team that see the game as their cup final its always going to be a stern test.

“But, fortunately, the togetherness of the group was the key to the end result. They stuck together, continued to believe and worked hard right to the end and they got their rewards – from two top-quality goals from Chib and Richard.

“We made three substitutions and all three had a positive effect on the game, so credit to them.

"As much as we want to play well every week with fast-flowing football, this game was more about getting through to the next round at all costs and earning the club a bit of money.

“That’s exactly what we’ve managed to achieve. We will now take this positive result into next week and look to extend our unbeaten run.”

Consett’s joint leading scorers Michael Mackay and Michael Sweet were both lively for the home side but it was a header by Luke Sullivan from the game’s first corner that caused an early scare before it was cleared off the line.

Mackay hit a cross-shot that struck a post and Avenue’s keeper Jon Stewart before coming out.

There was also a physical aspect to the game, and the home side had three players yellow-carded in the first half-hour.

Stewart also found himself in the referee’s notebook just before the end of the goalless first half.

Avenue had chances in the second period. James Walshaw felt he should have had a penalty, the referee being in a long consultation with one of his assistants before turning the appeal down, and Jason St Juste looked odds-on to break the deadlock.

Minutes after that glorious opening, and with Avenue temporarily down to ten men with Tom Burgin off the pitch receiving treatment, Consett edged in front.

Stewart raced out to the edge of his area to head clear but the ball dropped invitingly for Dan Hawkins, who expertly lifted the ball back over the keeper and into the unguarded net.

Chilaka replaced Walshaw in the 75th minute and scored the equaliser eight minutes later when he converted a St Juste cross.

Marshall fired a rocket into the top corner from 25 yards to bank Bradford £4,500 and a place in tomorrow’s draw.