Kidsgrove Athletic 0, Bradford Park Avenue 2
Bradford Park Avenue booked their passage into the first round proper of the FA Cup with a hard-earned but ultimately straightforward win in the midlands.
Kidsgrove played well and kept the visitors at bay in a goalless first half.
But Jimmy Beadle was summoned off the bench by Avenue boss John Deacey and he netted two second-half goals to earn a trip to face Evo-Stik South League Premier Division outfit AFC Totton.
Deacey joked that it was a masterstroke by the manager as the change could not have gone better, Beadle scoring with his first touch.
“That result was just what the doctor ordered – but we had to work for it,” said Deacey.
“It is a difficult pitch to play on at Kidsgrove because of the slope on it, although the surface is quite good to be fair.
“I thought we didn’t settle well in the first 15 minutes but we were in control after that so I would like to think that it was a victory we deserved.”
Avenue did force one chance in that opening quarter hour from a set-piece. A corner was only half-cleared and Rob O’Brien put the ball back into the danger zone but Adam Clayton’s effort was saved by home keeper Steve Hodgson.
Midway through the half the visitors came even closer and once again O’Brien was involved. His free-kick found James Riley in the area and his looping header was headed onto the underside of the bar by home defender Danny Smith before somehow being scrambled clear.
The second half was much more lively and the home side had the first chance following a 53rd-minute corner.
Carl Charlton sent in an angled shot from 12 yards that had Avenue keeper John Lamb beaten but it hit O’Brien on the line and was cleared.
O’Brien, who was on a comeback from the injury he suffered in the previous week’s home draw against Worksop Town in the FA Trophy, made way for Beadle in the 56th minute.
The bustling midfielder came on just as Michael Duckworth was taking a corner and his first touch was the header that converted it.
Minutes after Avenue had taken the lead Kidsgrove’s Andy Kinsey sent in a shot that hit the post before going for a goal kick.
Aiden Savory went close to adding to Avenue’s lead when he latched on to Adam Clayton’s centre and the visitors did put the gloss on their win with four minutes to go.
Substitute Tom Greaves crossed from the right and Beadle got across his marker to chip the ball over Hodgson.
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