Colwyn Bay 2 Bradford Park Avenue 2

Bradford stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to a round dozen but manager John Deacey was far from happy as his side played out their fifth 2-2 draw in 12 matches.

They struggled to get back into the match after their Welsh hosts had turned the game in a six-minute spell midway through the first half.

It had been a dream start for Avenue as they took a seventh-minute lead. Having forced an early corner, Paul Walker’s delivery was headed on by James Knowles and Chib Chilaka improvised as he acrobatically turned the ball in.

A later Chilaka shot was blocked and Walker latched onto the rebound but he fired over the target.

Colwyn Bay had the ball in the net but skipper Rob Hopley was in an offside position when the fired home.

Avenue had another good chance to double their lead when Alex Davidson was brought down outside the area. Walker took the free-kick, Knowles chipped the ball into the danger zone but Adam Clayton headed over from the six-yard line.

Colwyn moved smoothly from 1-0 down to 2-1 up soon after and it was Hopley who began the comeback, firing past keeper John Lamb.

Marc Williams, who returned to the Welsh club last week, began the move for the second when his through ball found Hopley, who helped it on for Louis Moss to net.

Chances came at both ends, Williams and Hopley going close for Colwyn Bay while Davidson fired wide from distance and had a later shot tipped over by the home keeper.

Just after the break, Lamb spilled the ball and Gareth Evans almost capitalised. Had the home side taken a two-goal lead at that stage, Avenue’s long run may well have come to end.

Deacey had seen enough and began making changes, bringing on Jason St Juste and Nicky Boshell and changing the system to a more attacking formation.

It almost worked when a Boshell corner was headed on by Knowles and deflected to Nathan Hotte but the skipper’s lob from just outside the area hit the bar.

With a little over six minutes remaining, Deacey’s brave tactics paid off when Chilaka found Richard Marshall, who in turn put Davidson through and he nutmegged the advancing keeper.

Avenue are home to Conference Premier high-fliers Kidderminster Harriers in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Harriers consolidated their second place with a 4-1 home win over Lincoln City on Saturday.