Bradford (Park Avenue) stay in peril with defeat to Atherton

Will Longbottom’s second half consolation goal proved academic, as they remain one point off safety, with a second successive relegation potentially on the cards.

With Marske United temporarily suspended from playing while the NPL clarify details around their change in ownership and Basford United also losing, a draw would have been enough to move Avenue out of the drop zone in goal difference.

Instead, a disastrous first half left them with a mountain to climb.

After an end to end start to the game, but with few clearcut chances, Atherton took the lead on 26 minutes.

An excellent Nathan Caine through ball put Enock Lusiama through on goal, and he dinked the ball over onrushing Avenue keeper Brad Wade to put his side 1-0 up.

The hosts went further behind 10 minutes before half-time.

They were caught out by a long ball over the top from Collieries stopper Nico Defreitas-Hansen, which Josh Solomon-Davies latched on to before beating Wade with a lovely placed effort.

Going into the break 2-0 down, Avenue’s prospects looked bleak, but they brought on Chinedu Osadebe, who had scored twice last time out in a draw at Lancaster City, for Harry Colville at the start of the second half in an attack-minded substitution.

And it was not long before Longbottom turned home a corner to halve the deficit.

That goal came on 54 minutes and Avenue looked more likely to equalise as the half wore on, rather than Atherton score a third.

Longbottom struck one effort just wide, while Defreitas-Hansen made a good save at the end of a flowing Avenue move with five minutes to go.

The hosts had one last chance, but Osadebe skied his injury-time effort, meaning his side emerged from the contest empty-handed.

Atherton are still bottom, but just four points off safety now, while Avenue are in desperate need of a win next time out, but face an almighty task at high-flying Macclesfield.