Play-off boost as Avenue pass test with flying colours (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Play-off boost as Avenue pass test with flying colours

10:26pm Monday 20th February 2012 in Headlines By Ian Whiting

Bradford Park Avenue 3, Whitby Town 0

Bradford Park Avenue climbed back into the play-off places in the Evo-Stik Premier Division with their second league victory at Horsfall Stadium in three days.

Up against a Whitby Town side battling to get out of the relegation zone, and with former Avenue man Jimmy Beadle in their ranks, it promised to be a test.

However, it was one that Avenue came through with flying colours as they dominated most of the game.

There was an early scare as Beadle sent in a shot from the edge of the area that struck the bar but Avenue broke the deadlock in the 13th minute.

It was a touch fortuitous as Michael Duckworth, playing at left back after Nicky Boshell picked up an injury in the warm-up, netted a cross-cum-shot.

Recent signing Nicky Matthews doubled Avenue’s advantage with his first goal at Horsfall.

The move began when even newer signing Alex Davidson found Matty James with a square pass and he set Matthews up just inside the six-yard box.

There were more chances before the break, with Richard Marshall being foiled and Adam Clayton volleying just wide from the resulting corner. Marshall also saw a later free-kick deflected by the wall to make it a comfortable save for the Whitby keeper.

The visitors enjoyed their best spell of the game at the start of the second half but Avenue’s makeshift defence held firm.

There was a second half debut for most recent signing Matt Dempsey when he came off the bench with a little over 20 minutes remaining.

Tom Greaves also joined the fray as a substitute and missed a good chance while still cold but there was a third goal for Avenue.

Duckworth broke away three minutes from time and fed Marshall, who slipped a shot past the visitors’ keeper.