The recent charity game at Horsfall Stadium between former Avenue and City players was a grand occasion and produced an entertaining, not to say competitive, derby encounter.

Dean Windass was player-manager of the Bantams while current Avenue management pairing Phil Sharpe and Clive Freeman starred for their side.

It resulted in a 3-1 win for Avenue and a worthwhile fund-raiser for the chosen good cause.

Avenue legends Tony Brown, Dave Morgan, Wayne Benn, Mark Hancock and the like rolled back the years, although current Horsfall stalwart Neil Redfearn found himself back in the claret and amber after the team pick.

Andy Hayward, such a talismanic figure in Avenue's resur-gence since reforming, netted twice for his old club.

City also had a useful forward playing, with John Hendrie heading their goal, while former Burnley frontman John Francis added Avenue's third.

There was a down side though as Sharpe found his squad affected for the midweek UniBond Division One game.

"Mark Hancock gave Red-fearn a whack on the ankle and it swelled up on Monday," said Sharpe.

"You can't blame Hank' entirely as even in his day he would never have matched Redders for pace. Now, in his dotage, he had no chance. I suppose he will claim he got there as soon as he could."

Mick Couzens, Avenue's community development officer, was the organiser and without his tireless work, cajoling both camps, it would have remained a pipedream.

"The aim was to raise money for Jude Barker, a four-year-old boy with severe autism, so that his mother Jemma can take him to America for treatment," said Couzens, who heard of the family's plight through the Telegraph & Argus.

"When I read the story I was moved and I wouldn't have rested if I hadn't done anything to try to help. I just wish we had attracted a bigger crowd so we could have raised more money.

"We had a City scarf and an Avenue scarf stitched together and Jude and Jemma wrapped it around themselves before leading out the teams.

"They held the scarf up together in front of the main stand and the City and Avenue players criss-crossed behind them, shaking hands before the game.

"It was a great feeling for everyone, the weather was fine and it was a lovely day all round.

"Jemma did a big thank-you speech in the clubhouse after the game and it brought some hardened old pros to the verge of tears."

Redfearn was only too glad to get involved, despite picking up the knock.

"It's a great cause and hopefully it goes towards his treatment to get him better," he said.

"It was a good game with good football played and quite competitive. There were one or two tackles flying in but that's what you get in a derby game."

Avenue squad: Paul Allen, Simon Woodhead, Clive Freeman, Tony Brown, Phil Sharpe, Andy Quinn, Mark Wilson, Mark Hancock, Wayne Benn, Andy Hayward, John Francis, Christian Annan, Joe Richardson, Bobby Barr, Kevin Megson, Dave Morgan.

City squad: Paul Brown, Ces Podd, Lee Sinnott, Lee Duxbury, Graham Mitchell, Dave Evans, Neil Redfearn, Jim Brown, John Hendrie, Gary Watson, Dean Windass, Tommy Wright, Joe Cooke, Tim Thornton.