Vanarama National League North: Bradford Park Avenue 5 Gainsborough Trinity 0

BRADFORD Park Avenue romped to a handsome home win and hauled themselves back into the play-off places in Vanarama National North at a bitterly cold Horsfall Stadium last night.

Wayne Brooksby returned to the side after injury and bagged a brace, while centre forward Adam Boyes also claimed a double, with Oli Johnson completing the rout with Avenue’s fifth goal midway through the second half.

Avenue led 2-0 at the break and there was no divine intervention for the Holy Blues as their second-half performance was also poor.

If it hadn’t been for the heroics of Gainsborough Trinity keeper Henrich Ravas it would have been a far heavier defeat.

Ravas had no hope of a clean sheet as Avenue netted a fourth-minute opener.

A inswinging Nicky Clee corner hit the far post and Brooksby, back from a hamstring strain, pounced to fire the rebound past the Trinity keeper.

Johnson, Clee and Brooksby all had chances that kept Ravas busy before the visitors were two goals down.

It was Boyes who doubled the home side’s lead when he converted a 19th minute set-piece with a well executed volley into the top corner.

Gainsborough had their first sight of Steve Drench’s goal just after the half-hour, but Shane Clarke drove his shot wide of the target.

A few minutes later, debutant Dan Pybus, the young midfielder on loan from Bradford City, came close to marking his first Avenue start with a goal.

He rounded Ravas but saw his shot cleared off the line by a covering defender.

Trinity boss Dave Frecklington made a double substitution at the interval but his efforts failed to invigorate his team.

Just two minutes into the second half, Boyes robbed Nathan Stainfield, one of the two players introduced from the bench, rounded Ravas and stroked the ball into the net.

Avenue’s fourth goal followed soon after as Pybus was again denied a debut goal, this time by the woodwork.

The midfielder showed a lightning turn of pace before sending in a shot that came back off a post and Brooksby was well placed to slot the rebound in.

The closest Gainsborough came to a goal was when former Avenue winger Craig King’s 62nd-minute effort hit Drench’s post.

Trinity conceded a fifth goal four minutes later when Johnson’s low, angled drive flew past Ravas.

With the game done and dusted, Avenue boss Mark Bower brought Adam Smith on for his home debut, replacing Brooksby, and gave Frank Mulhern his first run out in Avenue colours as he came on for Boyes.

There was a great reception from the home supporters for Pybus as he made way for Javan Vidal with a little over a quarter of an hour remaining.