Vanarama National League: Bradford Park Avenue 5 Gainsborough Trinity 1

BRADFORD Park Avenue rattled in five goals on their way to a confidence-boosting victory over fellow strugglers Gainsborough Trinity after the visitors had their goalkeeper sent off early on.

There were just 19 minutes on the clock when Trinity's George Willis, who once played for Avenue on loan, inexplicably clubbed Danny Boshell on the back of the head.

The keeper had safely gathered the ball but, as Boshell brushed past him while running back, he helped the Avenue midfielder on his way with his tricep.

The contact continued with the elbow and back of Willis’ forearm as the keeper straightened his arm.

Boshell went to ground and the referee immediately pointed to the spot, before going to his pocket for the red card.

With no keeper among five substitutes, left back Bradley Beatson donned the gloves and was easily beaten as Nicky Wroe rifled his penalty kick into the top corner.

Avenue boss Mark Bower did his best Arsene Wenger impression as he said: “I didn’t see it.”

He added: “The lads on the bench told me that the keeper had elbowed Danny. I don’t know if Danny was just using his experience by going down or not but clearly you cannot raise your arm at an opponent and I don’t think the ref had an option.

“We will take that result but I didn’t think that we played well at all, and when their keeper got sent off it was always going to be a strange game, but it’s always a good sign when you win without playing well.

“We scored five goals and hit the woodwork twice, so to say we created so much while being nowhere near our best we’ve got to be happy with it.”

Gainsborough had looked the better side in the opening exchanges, and after Willis’ dismissal they were still well organised and disciplined.

The ten men drew level nine minutes into the second half when former Guiseley forward Gavin Rothery slotted through home keeper Jon Worsnop’s legs, but the home side retook the lead soon after when Boshell looped a header over Beatson.

Oli Johnson scored his first goal for his new club when he showed superb control to chip a cross from substitute Chris Sharp over the keeper, and then Sharp converted a cross from skipper Ryan Toulson with another header for the fourth.

Avenue went nap in the penultimate minute as Wroe netted his second spot kick after the stand-in custodian had raced off his line and fouled Aidan Chippendale as the striker raced into the area.

Unfortunately, the win didn’t lift Avenue out of the bottom three as relegation rivals AFC Telford United claimed a point from a 1-1 draw at leaders AFC Fylde after Lee Hughes, who was released by Worcester City, scored on his Telford debut to peg the top side back.