Bradford Park Avenue 1 Alfreton Town 0

BRADFORD Park Avenue broke their duck on Saturday as they won at home for the first time in any competition this season and the three Vanarama National North points they banked edged them closer to safety.

Avenue are still in the relegation places but, after their win over Nicky Law's Alfreton, they now have a four-point advantage over the bottom two and are just three points behind fourth-bottom Nuneaton Town.

The victory pleased Bradford boss Mark Bower, who said: "Apparently we can win at home and I'm sure that will have lifted everyone.

"I thought it was a deserved win as well, although if there is one criticism it's that we're not putting these games to bed.

"We created a lot of chances in that first half and really should have been more than one goal up at the break.

"We were under pressure a little in the second half, when it was like the land of the giants as they put some big lads on and forced a few corners and set-pieces.

But 'Spider' (goalkeeper Jon Worsnop) made some great saves, a couple in the first half as well, and I thought that we defended well and looked strong at the back."

Worsnop showed superb reactions to foil Adam Smith early on but an offside flag would have denied the Alfreton forward in any case.

Avenue scored what proved to be the match-winning goal soon after as, midway through the first half, pressure from the home side led to a free-kick just over 20 yards out.

Nicky Boshell struck it with venom but the ball came back off the face of the bar and Nicky Wroe pounced to rifle home.

Visiting keeper Fabian Spiess had no chance with the goal – and he was beaten again just three minutes later when on-loan striker Oli Johnson used all of his technical ability to chip the keeper on the volley.

The ball looked set to drop into the net but Alfreton centre back Brad McGowan somehow cleared it off the line at the expense of a corner.

Luke Dean and Boshell (twice) both had chances to add to Avenue's lead before the interval but the home side had to be content with their slender advantage.

Boshell tested Spiess with the first chance after the break and Law was soon making an enforced change as Craig Westcarr succumbed to injury.

Johnson did well to send in a low drive from a tight angle that had Spiess scrambling on the floor, while the Guiseley loanee later set up Avenue substitute Lee Spires but he tried to control the ball instead of going for goal and the chance was lost.

The visitors were carving out openings of their own throughout the second half, although Worsnop was protected by his defence and had few saves to make.