Bradford (Park Avenue) draw with leaders Emley at Horsfall

And the fact they were disappointed with the result shows just how far they have come over the last few weeks under new manager Craig Elliott.

It is almost the two-month anniversary of the ghastly 4-1 Bank Holiday Monday defeat to Liversedge, a terrible result which spelled the end of Danny Whitaker’s short reign.

Avenue started to improve after Elliott’s arrival, but lacked consistency until they really hit their straps at the back end of last month.

They have now won five and drawn two of their last seven league games, a run which has seen them shoot up to fifth in the table, putting them in the final play-off spot in the division as it stands.

Craig Elliott has helped turn Avenue from also-rans into genuine promotion contenders. (Image: John Rhodes.)

A sign of the good feeling around the club was the crowd of 486 last night, the largest at Horsfall this season.

This was always going to be an acid test of Avenue’s credentials, with Emley top having scored the most goals and conceded the least in the division this season.

Unsurprisingly, the visitors began last night’s game on the front foot, slamming a dangerously-positioned free kick into the wall before Jack Cowgill blazed a half-volley over the bar.

Amir Bechil then nodded a corner back for Laurence Sorhaindo, but the Emley striker was unable to steer the ball home.

But Avenue should have opened the scoring against the run of play, only for the in-form Paddy Sykes to miss a gilt-edged chance having done the hard part in charging down Emley keeper Declan Lambton and winning the ball back on the edge of the area.

The rest of the first half was a quiet affair after that frantic first 15 minutes, aside from Kareem Hassan-Smith picking up a booking for Avenue after wiping out Berchil.

Sorhaindo had the first real chance of the second half on 65 minutes, but he curled the ball just over Jack Hall’s crossbar.

That helped spark the game into life, with Lambton forced into a brilliant stop soon after as Avenue began to run rampant.

The Emley keeper did brilliantly to deny Sykes when he looked to be through on goal before Connor Shanks had arguably the best chance of the game.

The former Bradford City midfielder should have put Avenue ahead, as he moved perfectly on to Jack Normanton’s cut back, but he blasted the ball over the bar from just six yards out.

Connor Shanks blew a gilt-edged chance to win the game late on for Avenue. (Image: Mike Bayly.)

Luke Parkin struck an effort narrowly off target for Emley with two minutes left, then Cowgill produced a heroic tackle at the other end as Avenue bore down on goal.

The final chance came in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, with Alhassane Keita crossing the ball into Isaac Baldwin.

But the full back’s header was kept out by Hall, as both sides had to settle for a point.

Avenue’s next game is a league encounter at struggling Bridlington Town next Tuesday.