Bradford may have sailed close to the wind sometimes in their league campaign but they were to land silverware again as they retained their West Riding County Cup after a second consecutive triumph at Valley Parade.

Avenue’s first contest in a knockout competition in the 2015/16 season was away Northern League outfit Consett. The Avenue headed into the Geordie heartland for a second qualifying round tie in the FA Cup and they edged the game 2-1 with goals from Chib Chilaka and Richard Marshall.

The next round threw up an away tie at the class of 92’s Salford City. The Mancunian outfit were on a high as they had won promotion to the Evo-Stik Premier Division after Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers, Gary and Phil, had bought into the club.

Avenue travelled to the Ammies and earned a draw courtesy of a second-half spot kick from Marshall but Salford won the replay 1-0 in extra-time. The Ammies went on to win promotion again and will be league rivals of Bradford in the coming season.

Martin Drury’s men won 2-1 at Buxton – at the third attempt after an abandonment and then a postponement – to reach the first round of the FA Trophy and then enjoyed what was possibly the result of their season.

Avenue beat National League outfit Lincoln City 2-1 at Horsfall Stadium on a cold and wet Monday night just four days before Christmas after the tie had been postponed.

After the high there was the inevitable low as the following round led to the beginning of the end for Drury and his trusted lieutenant Jamie Price. Avenue were drawn at home against Salford City’s league rivals Nantwich Town.

The initial meeting was off due to a frozen pitch at Horsfall Stadium and the following midweek saw Avenue held to a 1-1 draw by the visitors. Drury’s men were beaten 3-1 at then rock-bottom AFC Telford in the National North and then humbled 5-0 in a midweek Trophy replay at Nantwich.

Avenue’s route to cup success was again to be the County Cup and Drury had done a lot of the groundwork. He was in charge when the club began the defence of the trophy that John Deacey had won in the previous season.

Following a first round bye Bradford faced local rivals Albion Sports in the second round and romped to a 7-0 victory. There was a saga at the quarter-final stage as the tie against FC Halifax Town was twice postponed at different venues as the clubs tried to get the game played in the severe weather around the turn of the year.

It eventually went ahead and following a 3-3 thriller, Drury’s Bradford won 5-4 on penalties. That win put them into a semi-final against Ossett Town and a Lamin Colley hat-trick was the highlight of a 6-2 win.

Drury had made way for Darren Edmondson by the time the final against long-term rivals Harrogate Town came around. The stage was set at the home of Avenue’s nearest neighbours Bradford City.

Avenue had edged a dour final 1-0 at Valley Parade 12 months earlier to beat Garforth Town but Avenue and Simon Weaver’s Town produced a classic this time.

There was stoppage-time drama as Avenue won 3-2. On the same night, results elsewhere in the National North meant Bradford were safe, allowing the supporters, players and management to enjoy a double celebration.