Bradford Park Avenue 2 Vauxhall Motors 0
THE Motormen’s eight-match unbeaten run came to a halt on Monday as the slipped to defeat at the Horsfall Stadium.
First-half strikes by Richard Marshall and Tom Corner handed the Yorkshire hosts the three points.
The sides cancelled each other out during the first quarter of the contest, with neither goalkeeper seriously troubled.
The pitch, deemed playable after an afternoon inspection, cut up badly and made passing football difficult.
Bradford opened the scoring on 34 minutes when a corner from Jordan Deacey was not cleared. Striker Tom Corner got in front of the goalkeeper Craig Ellison and laid the ball into the path of Richard Marshall, who converted from close range.
Five minutes before the break, Ellison denied the Avenue a second goal. After a lovely cross from Deacey to Alex Davidson, the winger’s shot was heading for the net – but Ellison pulled off a fine diving save.
The hosts doubled their advantage a minute before the half-time interval when a pass by Marshall was controlled by Corner, whose 20-yarder found the bottom corner of Ellison’s net.
Bradford’s failure to score a third goal in the second half gave Vauxhall hope and the tried to fight back, troubling John Lamb in the home goal.
The Avenue keeper tipped over a free-kick from Michael Burns and the same player hit the side-netting from close range soon after, following a save by Lamb from Tom Rutter.
Vauxhall’s were denied again late on when Ashley Stott’s half-volley cannoned off the crossbar.
Vauxhall: Ellison, Wainwright, Barnes (Kocsis 63), Hannigan, Nicholas, Noone, Mahon, Anoruo, Rutter, Stott, Burns. Subs: Moss, Martindale, Wright.
Attendance: 272.
After making the short trip to Chester FC on Saturday (3pm), the Motormen return to Rivacre Park next Tuesday to host FC Halifax Town (7.45pm).
