Bradford Park Avenue 2

Squires Gate 1

It was a scary ride but the roller-coaster is still on its tracks as Avenue edged into today's draw for the third qualifying round of the FA Cup at the expense of Blackpool's Squires Gate.

Manager Carl Shutt was forced to make a substitution after just four minutes and another in the 22nd.

The visitors took the lead in the first half and Avenue's Dan Sheriffe missed from the spot in the second period.

But Sheriffe saved his own blushes and those of his team-mates by netting the all- important winner ten minutes from time. It rescued Avenue's credibility on another windswept day at Horsfall Stadium.

"That is cup football. Sometimes it's not pretty, sometimes it gives you palpitations but the bottom line is you want to reach the next round," said relieved boss Carl Shutt.

"We are in the hat and that is all that matters about the outcome from this game. I think we deserved it overall but it was never going to be easy against a team that never wanted to play football."

The conditions were difficult - swirling winds, dreadful surface, torrential downpour an hour before kick-off - and a nervous home crowd.

That is why Avenue did not want to go a goal behind and the reason the opposition had all 11 men inside their own penalty area whenever Avenue had a set-piece in the second half.

Parts of the game were negative but the result was positive for Avenue. The supporters may have been looking for a landslide win over the North West Counties Division One side but the result is all- important for the Conference North outfit.

"It was always going to be a battle, we knew that," added Shutt.

"The last thing we wanted was to end up chasing the game but again we have let ourselves down by conceding a corner and not defending the set-piece adequately.

"I told the players at half-time to stay patient and keep working. When Dan missed the penalty it could have gone two ways. Heads could have dropped with players thinking this is not our day.

"But the opposite happened and the players were listening to instructions from the bench and they pulled it round." The first half was forgettable, apart from the early changes - Ryan Crossley off with an Achilles injury, Michael Naylor replacing him, and striker Steve Oleksewycz forced off with knee trouble to make way for Allan Pearce - and the visitors' goal.

Squires forced their first corner of the match in the 36th minute and Andrew Harvie sent it in. One flick-on later and centre back Nick Horne was heading towards goal, his weak effort beating Avenue keeper Andy Britton after bouncing in front him. Avenue immediately turned the screw but several opportunities were squandered, not least Sheriffe's penalty after Craig Smith had been impeded.

That looped up and hit the face of the bar before going over.

Avenue's tenth flag-kick brought some reward. Ben Cressey delivered it to the far side of the six-yard box and Pearce headed in his first goal for the club. A later shot from the New Zealand international striker was charged down but Cressey hit the ball back in and Sheriffe squeezed a header in at the far post.