BRADFORD (Park Avenue) can go into the busy holiday period with confidence high after a 1-0 victory over Hereford ensured they are top of the tree at Christmas.

Mark Bower’s men faced a difficult home game against a side that may be low in the table but still represent dangerous opposition.

Avenue also knew that even a home win might not take them back above Chorley, who had overtaken them on goal difference after winning one of their two games in hand.

But while Avenue claimed a maximum three-pointer, the Lancastrians lost 4-2 at home to Blyth Spartans, leaving Bower’s men three points clear at the National North summit. 

Bower said: “We’re delighted with the win and I think we were the only team that looked like winning it. Hereford came to do a job and I think they would have been happy with a draw.

“It was a tough game in difficult conditions because of the strong wind but we tried to play the right way. The last home game we had to contend with that torrential rain but at least the wet surface helps you to zip the ball around.

“We didn’t have that today so it was more difficult and we could hear the groans from the crowd and them urging us to get forward – but when we were getting forward the final ball was just going straight through so we had to try to build good moves.”

The vicious wind meant it was a game of few chances but Avenue almost took an early lead from an own goal. Lewis Knight did well on the right flank and his testing cross was headed against the bar by a defender.

The home side did have the ball in the net midway through the first half but the whistle had already gone as Oli Johnson was in an offside position.

Avenue had a great chance nine minutes after the break when Johnson went on a run and sent a superb through ball to Jake Beesley. The striker beat Bulls’ keeper Matt Yates to the ball but was forced wide and his angled shot was high over the target.

There was almost a disaster in the home defence minutes later when Avenue keeper Steve Drench was well placed to claim a tame cross. As he came to gather centre back Mark Ross made a late bid to clear the ball and Drench went over the top of him. Fortunately, neither player was injured.

Both sides had half chances but the match-winning moment came in the 70th minute courtesy of Knight.

He went on a great run down the right wing and rounded the Bulls’ full back to reach the ball before Yates. The ball broke kindly for him and he slotted it into the empty net.

There was an unnecessary edge to the end of the game after Hereford substitute James Roberts went down in the area and the Bulls players harangued referee Adam Herczog.

The match official stood firm and brandished a yellow card before awarding the visitors a corner.

Bower was pleased with winger Knight’s single mindedness, adding: “We knew that we would get chances and Lewis did well, chasing down what looked a lost cause to be honest.

“I think it was just sheer determination and it paid off for us because he wasn’t prepared to give up on it.”