BRADFORD Park Avenue took a huge stride to securing their status in Vanarama National North for next term with a slender 1-0 victory at Alfreton.

Avenue striker Oli Johnson certainly made an impact at the Reds’ Impact Arena, bagging the game’s only goal.

But keeper Jon Worsnop also had a big hand in the three-point maximum, saving a penalty against his former employers.

The visitors, who had to graft for their spoils, were under mounting pressure before the spot-kick award and heading into the five minutes of added time, but they showed true Yorkshire grit and were rewarded.

Worsnop looked shaky in the first half on his return to his old club – in fact he made a number of errors while the Reds’ current stopper Fabian Spiess made good saves to deny Wayne Brooksby and James Knowles.

But those saves came either side of Johnson’s match-winning goal.

Home defender Terry Kennedy put Spiess in peril with a poor back header and Johnson nipped in to seize possession before rounding the keeper and slotting home.

Avenue could have had a bigger lead at the break, and wished they had as the home side launched a second-half offensive.

Just five minutes after the interval, Worsnop parried a Jordan Richard effort behind and centre back Shane Killock conceded another corner from that flag-kick.

That early exchange set the pattern for the second period and Alfreton were on the front foot when the penalty was conceded.

Knowles was the offender, in the 73rd minute, but he was bailed out by Worsnop who dived low to his left to palm away Craig Westcarr’s effort.

Avenue had broken away just ten minutes into the half when Johnson and Nicky Wroe combined before Gavin Rothery fired just too high from the edge of the area.

And they almost doubled their lead from another counter-attack with minutes remaining.

Mark Bower’s men remain in 18th spot – just two places above the drop zone – after the win but the points gap has increased to nine with just five games remaining.

None of the four clubs below Avenue in the table managed a win. The only point picked up by any of them was by Stalybridge from a 1-1 draw with neighbours FC United of Manchester.

Following the weekend’s results there are only two relegation places to fill as the fate of basement boys Altrincham was sealed. A 2-1 defeat at promotion-chasing near neighbours Salford City left the Robins 16 points from safety with just 15 left to play for.