Bradford (Park Avenue) humbled as Brighouse game abandoned

One of the promotion favourites, Avenue have only picked up four points from their first four Northern Premier League East Division games, as their slow start to the new campaign following a second successive relegation continued.

Kelan Swales gave Bradford the lead inside the opening five minutes, but once Sedge equalised through Jack Dyche midway through the first half, the home side fell apart.

Former Avenue player-coach Ryan Toulson put the visitors in front 10 minutes before the break, before another man who used to ply his trade at Horsfall, Omar Sanyang, added a third on the stroke of half-time.

Jack Crook bagged a fourth goal for Sedge on 66 minutes to round off a dreadful derby day for the home side.

Yet Danny Whitaker’s men had gone off like a train, with Harry Colville playing in Swales after three minutes, only for latter to send his attempted lob over the bar.

Swales made up for that miss moments later, breaking away at pace after a misplaced pass in the visiting midfield.

He used Paddy Sykes and Joe Crosby as his decoy runners, before finding the bottom corner himself for an excellent solo goal.

Luke Hogg’s cross was then met by Dan Francis, whose powerful header was brilliantly saved by Sedge stopper Dylan Parkin.

But after that thrilling opening seven minutes for Avenue, the visitors began to wrestle back control, largely due to the influential presence in midfield of former Bantams man Adam Clayton.

Sedge’s first big chance came when Craig Ellison was forced into a fine save by Kwame Boateng, before a brilliant finish from Dyche brought them level.

He latched on to a searching pass from Boateng and lobbed the ball on the volley past the stranded Ellison.

A buoyed Sedge then came close through a Joe Walton header that just cleared the crossbar, before Toulson crashed home a superb strike to give his side the lead.

Sanyang made it 3-1 moments before the interval, slotting home after being set up superbly by Crook.

Dan Hartley headed just wide for the visitors straight after the break, while Colville almost halved the deficit with a strike that zipped just past the post.

Crook came close twice, before making it third time lucky when he buried an effort past Ellison from the edge of the box.

Ben Whelan was perhaps fortunate to avoid a second yellow card after seemingly elbowing Walton when challenging for a header.

Crook had curled an effort wide in the aftermath of that challenge, then Jeremie Milambo drove an effort over the bar from long range.

Clayton beat Ellison with 10 minutes to go, only for his looping effort to hit the crossbar, before substitute Alfie Raw fired wide moments after coming on for Sedge.

In the end the final whistle could not come soon enough for Avenue, who dropped to 14th after a woeful afternoon.

It was a good way for Sedge to bounce back after their 2-0 home defeat to a strong Cleethorpes Town side on Saturday.

This was Avenue’s only game of the Bank Holiday Weekend, but like Sedge, Brighouse were also in action twice in the division.

They had a superb Saturday, Myron Gibbons’ late goal sealing a 1-0 home win over Sheffield, their first league victory of the season.

Myron Gibbons celebrates his winner against Sheffield six minutes from time on Saturday. (Image: Jorge Horsted Photography.)

But yesterday was a more sombre affair altogether.

Brig were 1-0 down at Emley thanks to a Charlie Barks goal, but the game was paused around 10 minutes before half-time due to a serious injury for Brighouse keeper Kyle Trenerry, who came off second best in a sickening collision with an opponent.

An ambulance was called for but had still not arrived an hour or so later, with the stricken Trenerry still laid on the pitch.

Unsurprisingly, that led to referee James Gallagher abandoning the game at around 4:30pm.

Fortunately, Trenerry took to social media last night to give an update from his hospital bed, confirming that he has suffered ligament and muscle damage, but has not broken any bones.

He is unlikely to be playing again for a while, but given how worried those in attendance at the game were about his condition, the overriding feeling is one of relief after now hearing from the popular goalkeeper, who has previously been the star stopper at the likes of Silsden and Albion Sports.