Vanarama National League North: Leamington 4 Bradford Park Avenue 2

BRADFORD Park Avenue scored two goals away from home but still tasted defeat for the first time this season as Leamington rattled in four to extend their own unbeaten start to the campaign.

The hosts were 3-0 up in the 90th minute before an explosive ending to the game, which saw three goals inside three minutes.

Avenue had made it tense for the home side as Shane Killock and substitute Oli Johnson netted stoppage time goals but Leamington settled it with a fourth in the 93rd minute to wrap up the game.

After opening the season with back to back victories, Bradford boss Mark Bower had no complaints as his side were downed at the New Windmill Ground.

Bower said, “We defended awfully. We were probably a bit unfortunate on the first one as we’d got a couple of tackles in but on each occasion the ball broke for them.

"We were only one goal down at half time and we knew that we’d get chances in the second half.

“But just a few minutes in we were ragged from a corner and they’re two goals up. To be fair to their lad it was a great finish.

The third is just a simple ball - their lad turns inside and just puts it in the corner. It's too simple and we just can’t allow goals like that.

"We had plenty of chances throughout the game and if we’d taken one in the first half, before they scored, and again early in the second half, then it’s a different game!

“It was a bit of a wake up call after winning both of our earlier games and even when it was 3-0 late on I didn’t think it was that kind of a game.

It was a difficult pitch and we knew that we wouldn’t be able to play our natural passing game on it so we had to adapt. I thought we did that but we just didn’t adapt well enough.”

It had been a positive first half for Avenue and the Brakes keeper, and captain, Tony Breedon had been busier than Bradford stopper Steve Drench.

But the home side took a slender lead into the break after Matt Stenson netted to end a counter attack following an Avenue corner.

Callum Gittings drilled a shot into the bottom corner after the Brakes had forced an early second half corner and Stenson netted his second just before the hour mark.

The manic culmination of the game began in the first minute of stoppage time when Avenue skipper Shane Killock headed past Breedon.

Just a minute later Johnson, who had replaced player-coach Ryan Toulson at half time, converted Ben McKenna’s cross.

Any hopes of Avenue rescuing a point were snuffed out a minute later when Anthony Dwyer, on from the bench for the home side, neatly slotted in the final goal of an unforgettable game.