Bradford (Park Avenue) lose after Matlock Town comeback

The first half could not have gone any better for the hosts at Horsfall, who were under the caretaker charge of player-coaches Luca Havern and Oli Johnson following Mark Bower’s sacking on Monday.

A brace from Myles La Bastide had put Avenue 2-0 up, while Matlock arrived at the ground late, had Finlay Armond red carded after 15 minutes, and saw manager Martin Carruthers sent to the stands.

But in the quintessential game of two halves, Matlock pulled a goal back 10 minutes after half-time, before Avenue captain Mitch Lund was sent off for two bookable offences on the hour mark.

Town scored twice in the final 20 minutes to pull off a stunning comeback victory, leaving Avenue desperate for three points at home to Marine tomorrow night.

Luca Havern and Oli Johnson must have thought this management lark was easy after 45 minutes, but it went badly wrong for their side in the second half. (Image: Martin Taylor)

Yet it had all started so positively for Avenue yesterday, as a brilliant solo goal from La Bastide put Avenue in front after only four minutes.

He danced through the Matlock defence before slamming a shot beyond goalkeeper Saul Deeney and into the net.

The visitors were soon down to 10 men as well, as Armond produced a dreadful tackle on Lund which saw him receive a straight red.

Carruthers was sent to the stands for his protests but crucially, Lund also picked up a booking for his angry reaction to Armond’s tackle on him.

Matlock probably edged the rest of the first half, despite being a man light, but they conceded in first-half stoppage-time.

A mix-up at the back allowed Brad Dockerty to get a shot off that was blocked, but the loose ball fell to La Bastide, who blasted it into the top corner from close range.

But La Bastide went off injured early in the second half, and the tide turned in the absence of Avenue’s two-goal hero.

Matlock halved the deficit on 55 minutes, when full-back Joseph West was played in down the left, and his low cross into the box was slid home by captain John Johnston.

Minutes later, Lund was dismissed, picking up his second yellow card for fouling Jonathon Margetts.

Mitch Lund is one of Avenue's few experienced players, and his dismissal was a huge blow for them. (Image: Martin Taylor.)

And it was Margetts who levelled proceedings when his flicked header from Adam Yates’ ball crept in at the back post.

Substitute Ioan Evans won the game for Matlock with just five minutes to go, as he slammed a header beyond keeper Heath Richardson, on loan at Avenue from neighbours Bradford City, and into the net.

It means Avenue have still only won once in the league since August, and they will not have an easy ride tomorrow night either, as they welcome play-off chasing Marine to BD6.