Bradford Park Avenue 1, Radcliffe Borough 1: On a day of mixed feelings, Park Avenue maintained their unbeaten home record but failed to land the three points which would have brought them level with third-placed Radcliffe.

The Bradford side are still very much in the hunt for promotion from the UniBond Division One but the Manchester club have a game in hand and after Saturday's draw remain three points better off.

"It was a great second half performance from us," said manager Trevor Storton. "We should have won the game on that alone so I see it as two points dropped rather than one won.

"Sometimes we play a little too much football and we gave away a sloppy goal because we tried to string too many passes together. To be fair to their lad it was a cracking finish, but he shouldn't have got that far so again they have scored because of our own doing.

"Overall, though, I was happy with our performance because they are one of the top sides. In the second half we created chance after chance but just couldn't find the goals. It must have been a great game to watch."

One of the spectators was Bradford Bulls skipper Robbie Paul who was invited to the game as a new initiative was launched between Avenue and the Bulls.

Supporters of the Super League outfit can watch Avenue at a concessionary price while the rugby league side, whose Odsal home is a hop, skip and a touchdown away from Horsfall Stadium, will promote Avenue games.

The match kicked off after a presentation ceremony in which the home side received a colour television for their clubhouse, to reward their performance of the month, from UniBond League press officer Phil Bradley.

Avenue could have taken the lead at any time during the opening half-hour as winger Mark Wilson constantly provided quality passes and crosses into the area and also saw his own 18-yard shot dip over Borough's bar.

Avenue suffered a sucker punch when Borough took the lead into first half injury-time. In a move stemming from Stephen Ball giving possession away, David Bean fed Paul Mullin and he netted via the underside of the bar and post as he chipped Gavin Kelly.

Storton, who had already lost one option when Dave Donaldson replaced the injured Mark Hancock after 30 minutes, threw caution to the wind and brought both his remaining substitutes on, John Francis and Gary Edmunds taking over from Phil Denney and Martin James.

Francis and Jason Maxwell both went close before Avenue equalised in the 58th minute, Maxwell lobbing visiting keeper Steve Berryman from 15 yards.

Edmunds hit a post in the nearest of several attempts which followed.

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