It was an unhappy Easter for Harrogate Town as they were beaten 3-1 at a breezy Bradford.
The game survived a pre match inspection thanks to the many volunteers who helped to clear surface water off the pitch.
Playing into a strong wind,Town more than held their own until a self inflicted wound in the twelfth minute.
Under pressure from Liam Dickinson,Peter Crook cleared a Danny Ellis back pass into the path of Chib Chilaka,who chested the ball down and drove home from twentyfive yards.
Avenue kept up the pressure and Crook had to tip an inswinging Adam Mather corner over the bar,while Richard Marshall fired a shot well wide.
Town meanwhile,were battling hard and a Warren Burrell cut back found Paul Clayton whose shot beat Jon Stewart,only for Ryan Qualter to brilliantly clear off the line.
Avenue then lost possession in midfield and Paul Thirlwell released Jordan Thewlis down the right,but his cross to the far post had just too much height for the Town.
On thirty-nine minutes Avenue extended their lead when Marshall’s corner to the far post was headed in by Qualter.
Town, with the wind in their favour, started the second half strongly and Stewart had to make two diving saves from Thewlis, with the second one being cleared off the line by the ubiquitous Qualter.
A long free kick from Brendan Daniels was headed wide by Town, while at the other end,Dickinson dragged a shot across goal, before minutes later, catching Crook off his line, only to see his goalbound shot blocked by Danny Ellis.
Any hopes of a late Town fightback were dashed with only two minutes left when Avenue sub, Ben Gordon’s ball over the top sent fellow sub, Dylan Mottley-Henry clear and he calmly slotted home past Crook.
Town, however,did gain a late consolation,when Daniels took advantage of the breeze to lash home a tremendous free kick into the top corner from fully forty yards out.
town
1 Crook, 2 Colbeck, 3 Warren (Swain 78),4 Thirlwell, 5 Ellis (c),6 Foster, 7 Thewlis, 8 Burrell, 9 Clayton, 10 Platt (Gascoigne 61), 11 Daniels.
Unused subs, 12 Emmett,16 McGurk,18 Stewart. Bookings Foster,Daniels
Scorer, Daniels 90+2 Att.446
Report by John Harrison
Photography by Craig Hurle
