Vanarama National League North: Stockport County 0 Bradford Park Avenue 0

BRADFORD Park Avenue remain in the top half of Vanarama National League North, despite being held to a second draw on the spin as they shared the spoils with Stockport County on their visit to Edgeley Park.

The clash of the two former Football League sides was closely fought but Avenue boss Mark Bower will have been disappointed not to come away with all three points after watching his side create the better chances.

However, the Cheshire hosts had the better of the early exchanges, and Avenue keeper Steve Drench saved a spectacular effort from Sam Minihan in the second minute before cutting out a low centre from the same player and then thwarting Jimmy Ball soon after.

Avenue had settled into the game by the quarter-hour and, after good work by Wayne Brooksby, a Ryan Toulson cross just evaded Adam Boyes.

But there was a setback soon after as centre back Luca Havern, one of four former County men in the Park Avenue starting 11, suffered an injury and was replaced by James Knowles.

It was an even first half, although Park Avenue almost took the lead when Boyes found Oli Johnson – another of the home side’s former players - but he scuffed his shot wide of Ben Hinchliffe’s goal.

Drench palmed an effort from Minihan for a corner in the next minute, but his opposite number Hinchliffe did really well to parry a Nicky Clee shot soon after.

A shot from Johnson took a deflection that it made it an easy to gather for Hinchliffe but the Hatters’ keeper saved his best stop for just before the interval as he held a close-range header from Boyes.

Knowles, out of the side since the 3-0 defeat at newly-promoted Spennymoor Town, made an excellent contribution early in the second half as he deflected a Minihan effort for a corner.

Drench raced out to beat two County forwards to a through ball soon after but that was the last real threat the home side posed.

Javan Vidal, along with last season’s Stockport skipper Mark Ross a former Hatter, put a spectacular volley just wide, Toulson fired just over and Knowles hit a post with a touch from a late corner as Avenue pressed for a winner.

Both clubs dropped down a place, to tenth and 11th respectively, but Avenue remain in the top half of the table, below Stockport on goal difference only.