Bradford Park Avenue pay the penalty but Deacey takes Northwich defeat on the chin

Avenue could have regained top spot in the Evo-Stik Premier Division with a win over Northwich but are now five points adrift of the Vics following a tough but gripping encounter at Horsfall Stadium.

The margins are so tight that Saturday’s result and the subsequent standings in the table all hinged on a two-minute spell late in the game. Avenue skipper Rob O’Brien had an 80th-minute penalty saved and less than two minutes later it was the visitors who produced the game’s winning goal.

Avenue manager John Deacey reflected: “In truth I thought the best team won on the day. We didn’t compete in the midfield and I think one or two of our lads just lacked that necessary experience for games like this.

“It was second versus top and that intensity was reflected in the game. Having said that, I’m proud of my players and thought it was a very close game. Northwich have some very good players and showed a lot of determination.”

Deacey added: “The penalty incident was obviously the big turning point. We could have been 2-1 up with nine or so minutes left and that would have been game over.

“Instead they get a lift from our misfortune and go down the other end and score.

“We will pick ourselves up and go again on Tuesday – that’s football.”

The only goal of the first half was a peach. A through ball from O’Brien invited Savory to run onto it. Vics keeper Ben Hinchcliffe raced out of his goal, alerted by the danger. Savory’s first touch lifted the ball over Hinchcliffe three yards out of the area and his second was a half-volley from the corner of the 18-yard box that sailed into the net despite two coving defenders.

The visitors got on terms ten minutes after the interval with a well-worked goal. Having forced a corner, it was taken short, played back to the taker again but instead of crossing from the better angle he had created he rolled it back to Michael Roddy, who was unmarked on the edge of the area, and he netted with a well-struck shot.

The penalty was awarded when Avenue substitute Nicky Boshell raced into the area and dragged the ball back to beat his marker. That man was Vics defender Lewis Short and, as he slid past Boshell, his arm took the ball away. O’Brien struck his spot-kick well but Hinchcliffe dived to parry.

The visitors counter-attacked and, following a mesmerising spell of crisp passing in and around Avenue’s area, Wayne Riley steered a low shot into the corner of John Lamb’s goal.