Bradford Park Avenue 3, Burscough 2 (abandoned after 84 minutes): Chris Howe makes a habit of having bizarre debuts.

When Avenue's newest goalkeeper made his first start for Frickley last season he broke his ankle catching a cross in the warm-up.

His opening appearance for Darlington in a trial reserve game against Lincoln ended after five minutes when he came off to have six stitches in a leg wound.

So it was no real surprise when his debut for Avenue ended with something bizarre happening.

There might not have been any injuries for the 20-year-old keeper, signed from Brodsworth less than 24 hours before last night's kick-off, but a power cut ensured it was to be another first game to remember.

Howe had performed well in goal in his first start replacing the injured Jamie Holmshaw, stretchered off in Saturday's abandoned clash at Colwyn Bay.

At times he kept Avenue in it as they battled to a 3-2 lead which ultimately was rendered pointless by a power cut and subsequent floodlight failure in the 84th minute.

Avenue started brightly and deservedly took the lead when the Andy Wright, Richard Tracey and Andy Hayward combination once again created a score.

Having all contributed to the goal that didn't stand in Saturday's abandoned game, they did it again with Wright crossing to the far post for Tracey to nod across. Top-scorer Hayward then crashed it in from close range at the near post.

But the lead lasted less than a minute as the tricky Drew Hyland was allowed to turn Graham Mitchell on the edge of the box and slipped his shot past Howe's right arm. There were few more chances in the half, but vitally Avenue grabbed the lead just before the break.

David Donaldson, making his home debut, slipped the ball through to Tracey who took it 35 yards behind the defence before just dinking round the out-rushing keeper, for his first goal since November 20.

After the break Burscough, who have the meanest defence and the leanest strikeforce in the league, got a deserved equaliser. Avenue had taken their foot off the pedal and lost a bit of shape at the start of the second half when Mark Byrne crashed home a 25-yard drive after cutting in from the right wing. The home side huffed and puffed and finally got their lead just after the hour mark when Simon Collins slipped it through for Tracey to drive home across the keeper.

After the abandonment, Storton said: "I am absolutely gutted. We were in command. But we will probably have to do it all again now.