Trafford 0

Bradford Park Avenue 1

A single first half strike from Ian Briggs was enough to see Avenue take the points, but it was just short of the two-goal victory they needed to take them above Saturday's hosts.

The three points took Avenue up to 15th, level on points with five clubs - Trafford and rivals Harrogate and Farsley among them - in the UniBond Division One and will be the perfect fillip for next Saturday's visit to Lincoln United in the FA Umbro Trophy.

Following the narrow home defeat to Farsley on New Year's Day it was Avenue's second win in five days and, bar some poor second half finishing, was achieved in a style that keeps manager Trevor Storton happy.

He said: "It was another clean sheet for us which is very encouraging away from home. We should have grabbed a hatful in the second half when we really did look a class above them."

The side was unchanged after Tuesday's 1-0 Divisional Cup win over sixth-placed Eastwood Town, which meant Bradford City youth striker Damien Lee and new centre back Neil Bagshaw kept their places.

An early mistake by defender Lee Connor almost let Trafford's David Lowe in, but Avenue soon settled and Connor himself went close when he headed just wide following a corner.

Jason Maxwell also headed just off target after a good break and pinpoint cross from Neil Grayston and should have tested home keeper Jim O'Donnell on the half-hour.

Maxwell pushed the ball just too far and had to pass rather than shoot. The short ball invited Stephen Ball to have a crack at goal but Steve Raffell got his body in the way.

It was man-of-the-match Lee who began the move that led to Avenue's 38th minute winner. He fed Ball whose cross-cum-shot was beaten away to the edge of the area to Briggs who took the direct route to goal before beating O'Donnell with a close range shot for his fifth goal of the season.

The visitors may have shaded the first half, but they totally dominated the second period and the lead could have been stretched on countless occasions.

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