BRADFORD (Park Avenue)’s rejuvenation in recent games was put to a stop, as second-placed Brackley Town completed a second-half turnaround in National League North.

Mark Bower’s Bradford side briefly escaped the dreaded relegation zone after Will Longbottom fired home a free-kick to put them into the lead at Horsfall, but goals from Martin Woods and Cosmos Matwasa delayed any celebrations for the boys in green, as they fell to a 2-1 defeat.

Avenue have been flying recently, with three wins on the trot seeing Bower’s side on the verge of breaking out of the relegation zone.

After the game, he said: “It's disappointing to lose after leading for a good period of the game.

“We had a patched the team up today, a couple of lads out there that probably shouldn’t have been and a couple of lads on the bench that weren’t quite right either.

“So first and foremost we’ve got to applaud the players for their efforts and the work rate.

“We were a little bit disjointed at times but rode our luck a touch in the first half. But on the other hand, we had some really good chances ourselves and led for a period.”

Woods' equaliser was a penalty just after the hour mark, with the award of the spot-kick leaving Bower frustrated.

He fumed: “We're really disappointed with the penalty that was given.

“The lad was turning away from goal and dropped to the floor, I’ve just watched it back on the footage and there’s nothing in it.

“If you’re giving penalties for that you’re getting 10, 15 penalties in every game.

“You look at the ones we haven’t been given this season and it leaves you even more baffled.”

Conditions weren’t great at Horsfall on Saturday, with fog engulfing the pitch, and chances were at a premium in the early stages.

Experienced forward Adam Rooney came close early on for Brackley though, as his header from six yards out struck the post and rolled wide of the target.

But on the 15-minute mark, a foul on Sheffield United loanee Thomas Angell forced the referee to award Avenue a free-kick on the edge of the box.

That allowed Longbottom to step up and expertly arrow an effort beyond Danny Lewis and into the net, giving Bradford an early lead.

Longbottom had another chance soon after, following some good work from Brad Dockerty and Jamie Spencer, but Lewis was on hand to parry his effort away.

Brackley looked to respond and show why they were flying high in the table, but chances for James Armson, Callum Stead and Wes York were dealt with well by former Bradford City goalkeeper George Sykes-Kenworthy.

Heading into the second half, Brackley started off the better as Rooney saw a header rattle the crossbar before defender Glen Walker had his shot cleared off of the line.

With Brackley maintaining their pressure, captain Gareth Dean was adjudged to have been brought down in the box.

The referee awarded a penalty to the bewilderment of the Avenue defence, which Woods comfortably converted.

Just six minutes later, the game was flipped on its head, as Brackley took the lead.

A surging run from Walker ended with the ball being delivered into the box and tucked home by Matwasa.

That was his first goal of the season and it ensured a crucial three points for the Saints.

Bradford are next in action this evening, as Bower’s side host third-placed Gloucester City.