Bradford Park Avenue 2, Kendal Town 1

Park Avenue booked themselves a place in Saturday’s promotion play-off final at home to either Boston or North Ferriby with a narrow victory tonight.

Kendal Town ended the regular season seven points below runners-up Avenue but they proved tricky opponents in a game which saw three penalties. Both sides missed one but Avenue midfielder Rob O’Brien netted the other, which proved to be the winner.

Bradford broke the deadlock in the ninth minute when O’Brien crossed for Aiden Savory to loop a header back past the keeper.

The home side had the ball in the net minutes later when Savory reacted quickly after a Damian Reeves header had come back off a post.

The strike was ruled out for offside and from the counter-attack, Kendal’s Danny Wilson converted a cross with a superb header.

The winner came in first-half stoppage time when a cross from Bradford skipper Simon Baldry was blocked by a defender’s hand and O’Brien netted from the spot.

Kendal were awarded a spot-kick themselves but keeper John Lamb made a brilliant save to deny Darren Green after Brett Renshaw had handled.

Avenue missed the chance to settle the issue when Reeves was brought down in the area but Kendal keeper David Newnes made a fine save from O’Brien.

However, they held on and now await their opponents from tomorrow night’s other semi-final.

Avenue chairman John Dean said: “It was a magnificent game and a great advert for UniBond League football. It was played to a very, very high standard.

“John Lamb made two superb saves, one from the penalty, and Savory was very good and deserved more than just the one goal. But overall Reeves, Lee Elam and Nathan Drury were the pick of our players to be honest.”