Vanarama National League North: Bradford Park Avenue 1 Hednesford Town 1

BRADFORD Park Avenue stretched their unbeaten league run to three games but had to come from behind to claim a point for a second consecutive Saturday.

That statistic, and the fact that his side conceded in the second minute, left Avenue manager Martin Drury an angry man.

He said: “The start absolutely killed us – just like last week (at Chorley), we just didn’t get started.

“I don’t know what it is. If the players are just that glad that they're out there, I don’t know, and I’ve asked the players what’s going on.

"All the planning we’ve done, all the talks we’ve had in the week, all the information we’ve given the players – it all counts for nothing when you give an early goal away.

“They sat back after that, and it’s hard to break teams down at this level.

"Teams are strong and well organised in this division and it’s not easy to get back into games, but credit where it’s due, and the players stuck in there and refused to be beaten.”

The spectators had barely taken their seats when a cross into Avenue’s area found an unmarked Adam Thomas, and he headed the visitors into the lead.

In truth, the first half was poor fare from both teams, being dominated by long through balls and bouts of head tennis.

The locals had been asked to come to Horsfall Stadium in the morning to help clear overnight snow off the pitch.

They must have wondered why they had volunteered after witnessing that first 45 minutes.

James Walshaw sent in a 37th-minute free-kick that the Pitmen’s keeper Dan Crane palmed over the bar, and the Avenue striker got onto a through ball from Alex Pursehouse just before the beak but after cutting inside he blazed high and wide.

Pursehouse made way at the break, Jake Scott coming out for the second half, and whatever Drury had said to his players in the interval must have worked as they began the second period like an express train.

There were four chances in rapid succession as Nathan Turner’s on-target shot was deflected for a corner from which Billy Priestley headed just wide.

Avenue mounted attack after attack and, with the game wide open in the later stages, Hednesford put home keeper Jon Stewart to work for the first time since the second minute, but he was equal to the few chances they mustered.

Crane wasn’t as Jason St Juste, whose last game was for St Kitts and Nevis against Estonia, left him flat-footed as he drilled through a packed area to find the bottom corner for an equaliser that was the least Avenue deserved.