Worksop Town 2

Bradford Park Avenue 1

Despite Avenue taking the lead, two goals in as many minutes from Worksop Town gave the Nottinghamshire side all three points from this Conference North clash.

The goal action was condensed into a ten-minute spell late in the first half but it was yet another hard luck story for the Avenue.

Efforts were cleared off the line and what seemed a stonewall penalty was turned down.

Even the home side conceded that Bradford should have got something out of the game but they will be smiling all the way to the bank as they swell their league account with another three points.

"We keep getting compliments like that but it doesn't help our cause. We are not in the business to be gallant losers," said Avenue boss Carl Shutt

"It is all well and good playing pretty football but we need to be winning games."

The game followed the Avenue pattern - it was close and there was nothing to choose between the sides.

One break with the norm was Avenue taking the lead. Ben Jones netted the opener in the 32nd minute.

But Worksop dug in and turned the game on its head with a two-goal salvo minutes before the interval. The first was a spectacular long- range strike from Chris Cleary in the 41st minute

And it was followed less than 90 seconds later when Dean Cropper slipped the offside trap.

Avenue had a strong spot-kick claim waved away when there was a suggestion of handball by a defender in a goalmouth scramble and Karl Colley forced a great save out of the home keeper.

It was the Bradford side who werepushing most for a win and they had the Worksop defence under a lot of pressure in the final stages but they could not force an equaliser.

"We have got to develop a ruthless streak in front of goal," added Shutt, who managed to do that for Leeds United, Bradford City and Birmingham City among others in his playing days. "I am very frustrated, just like the lads are. They thought they deserved a point at least and from where I was sitting they were right.

"Sometimes it sounds like the same old lines, Avenue were unlucky but no one in that ground could have denied that.

"In the last 20 minutes we cut them open but it is just not running our way in the final third.

"I know what the responsibility is like when the team is looking for a goal from the forwards and I know we are doing the right things.

"But when you have a young team, what comes with it is the odd mistake. It could be up front or at the back and it costs.

"If I feel frustrated and the players do, then so must the fans because we have a good away following and they have seen how close we have been every game."