Worksop Town 0 Bradford Park Avenue 2

 Recent signing Nicky Matthews came off the bench to open his account for Avenue with a superb strike, rounding off a fine victory and sounding a warning to the other Premier Division promotion-chasers.

There was a lively start to the game, with a chance in the first minute and a goal in the tenth.

The move was started by Richard Marshall. He played a pass through to Michael Duckworth, whose cross was converted by Matty James’ close-range header.

Jamie Jackson had an early effort for the home side but Avenue keeper John Lamb did well to make a save.

There was another scare for the visitors when a shot from the edge of the area by Ashley Burbeary was deflected wide. The home side claimed it was by a defender’s hand but the referee waved away their penalty claims.

Minutes later, Burbeary netted from Luke Shiels’ free-kick but the strike was disallowed because of a foul on James Knowles.

Half-chances at both ends followed before Worksop enjoyed a fine spell.

Jackson, who is being monitored by a host of Football League scouts, sent in a shot that Lamb blocked and Rob O’Brien cleared.

Lamb was soon back in action when he parried a Shiels header and, as the ball was only half cleared, it fell to Burbeary, who smacked a shot onto Lamb’s crossbar.

That was Town’s best spell of the game but in first-half stoppage time Avenue had the ball in the net, only to see Knowles’ header ruled out for offside.

Former Bantams player Luke Sharry, who was brought on for the second half, was soon in the action when he hit a shot from the edge of the area straight at Lamb, whose opposite number, ex-Avenue stopper Jon Worsnop, was also kept busy.

He did well to tip a superb shot from Duckworth over the bar in the 70th minute but he was beaten again soon after.

Matthews, who had come off the bench to make his second Avenue appearance just seven minutes earlier, fired in from the edge of the area after a neat turn from Nathan Hotte’s through ball.

The visitors came close to putting a real gloss on their win three minutes from time. Worsnop got a good punch on a corner and Nicky Boshell returned it with interest on the volley but his stunning effort was cleared off the line.