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Bradford & West Yorkshire Sport
Saturday 14th August 2004

Nuneaton Borough 4-1 Bradford PA

Conference North

Avenue crashed to a opening day defeat which made light of any form they'd shown in pre season and saw new manager Jamie Waggett claim he'd never seen such an incompetent defensive display from a side he'd been involved with.


Both sides had gone close before Stuart Whittacker's speculative opener for the home side, on eight minutes, but Avenue hit back shortly afterwards when Allan Pearce powered through a gap in the Boro' defence to slot home. Sadly for the away side Boro' regained their lead just minutes later as Avun Jepthcott coolly rounded Darren Kelly to slot home.


The score remained like this until on the hour when Boro' extended their lead. Mark Noon crashing the ball home after Avenue's defence had been caught in disarray. It was to get worse ten minutes later as Mark Frew capped the scoring with a superb solo effort.


Bradford PA: Darren Kelly; Craig Bentham, Ryan Crossley, Adam Oldham, Dean Jones (Jamie Dolan '69); Andrew Quinn, Kristoffer Weckström, Tom Kearney (Danny Walsh '69), Neil Grayston (c); Kevin Sanasy, Allan Pearce (Ben Jones '69)

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Bradford & West Yorkshire Sport
Tuesday 17th August 2004

Conference North

Stafford Rangers 4-2 Bradford PA

Avenue crashed to another defeat in a performance that manager Jamie Waggett described as: "****ing woeful".

Without the injured Craig Bentham and with Kris Weckström on international duty it was a reshuffled Park Avenue side who twice conceded goals in the opening ten minutes. First from a Chris Smith penalty and then a Lee Downes chip from thirty-yards out after 'keeper Darren Kelly had failed to claim a cross.

Avenue did eventually spring to life and hit back through striker Allan Pearce's brave header on thirty-three minutes but as against Nuneaton on the opening day of the season they had soon conceded again. Craig Wilding powering a header past Kelly from a Robin Gibson cross four minutes later.

Somehow though Avenue again found some resolve and gave their manager and fans a bit of hope when Adam Quinn got on the end of a Ryan Crossley cross to nod home, however, Wilding soon restored Stafford's two goal cushion when on the brink of half time he found himself all alone in the penalty area to slot the ball past Kelly.

The second half was a dull affair and but for the sending off of young Avenue central defender Adam Oldham for a second bookable offence with fifteen minutes to go little happened.

Bradford PA: Darren Kelly; John Paul Duncliffe, Ryan Crossley, Adam Oldham, Dean Jones; Andrew Quinn, Ben Cressey (Jamie Dolan '45), Tom Kearney (Danny Walsh '75), Neil Grayston (c); Kevin Sanasy, Allan Pearce

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Bradford & West Yorkshire Sport
Saturday 21st August 2004

Conference North

Bradford PA 2-3 Hinckley

Avenue made it three defeats in a row as Hinckley displayed some clinical finishing to down a despondent home side.

Avenue gave a debut to goalkeeper Neil Bennett and it was he who was the busier of the two 'keepers in the opening period but he was powerless to stop the away side taking a twenty-seventh minute lead. Defender James Stansfield dwelled on the ball on the each of the box and was subsequently dispossessed by Gerard McCargo who smashed the ball home.

It sprung the home side into action though and with thirty-five gone they equalised. Andrew Quinn purposely strode forward before whipping an inch perfect cross into the path of striker Kevin Sanasy. The youngster wasted no time in controlling the ball and dispatching it hard past the 'keeper for his first league goal of the season. However, they couldn't hold or add to the goal before half time and instead found themselves behind again. Stansfield handled in the area and Matt Lewis comfortably slotted it home.

The second half started with a bang. Tom Kearney dispossessed McMahon in the Hinckley midfield before skipping past two defenders and lashing the ball over and wide of the 'keeper for a stunning first league goal for the club. Sadly the lead lasted less than five minutes and as in recent weeks Avenue seem to concede after scoring, this time Adam Willis heading home a Marrinner corner to seal Hinckley's win.

Bradford PA: Neil Bennett; Craig Bentham, Ryan Crossley, James Stansfield, Dean Jones; Andrew Quinn, Kristoffer Weckström, Tom Kearney, Neil Grayston (c); Kevin Sanasy, Allan Pearce

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Bradford & West Yorkshire Sport
Saturday 28th August 2004

Conference North

Bradford PA 4-3 Stalybridge Celtic

Avenue finally got off the mark with a quite superb comeback victory. Manager Jamie Waggett said: "I think some supporters thought we were dead and buried at half time but I know this team has goals in it, we just have to produce it on a more consistent basis."

It seemed obvious from the start that this match was going to be something different. Especially when you see four goals scored in the opening eighteen minutes of play. Stalybridge the recipient of three of them through a Damien Hindle double and a Steve Smith strike, the single Avenue goal coming from Kevin Sanasy.

Avenue looked dead and buried until the game took another turn when Tom Kearney was sent off for a second bookable offence, just minutes before half time. The result of which meant Waggett had to reshuffle his side and the change of formation seemed to do the trick, especially as they scored virtually as soon as the game restarted. Allan Pearce cleverly dinking the ball over the onrushing 'keeper after being played through by Neil Grayston.

The second half started with more of the same but with Stalybridge pushing to extend their lead they left huge amounts of space for the home side to counter, something they did seemingly at will. Right back Craig Bentham screwed a penalty against the post before the home side grabbed a deserved equaliser with fifty-five minutes gone. Man-of-the-match Kris Weckström skipping past his marker to plant a cross onto the balding pate of Grayston who gleefully powered the ball home.

The winner was a thing of pure exuberance. Weckström, Peace and Sanasy exchanged several passes before the ball was slid into the path of the latter. His first touch took him clear of his marker, he steadied himself, drew the 'keeper then unexpectedly darted past him before slotting the ball into an unguarded net.

Bradford PA: Neil Bennett; Craig Bentham, Ryan Crossley, James Stansfield, Dean Jones; Andrew Quinn (Jamie Dolan '45), Kristoffer Weckström, Tom Kearney, Neil Grayston (c); Kevin Sanasy, Allan Pearce (Mark O' Donnell '71)

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Saturday 11th September 2004

Lancaster City 2-3 Bradford (Park Avenue) Conference North

We started the month against 21st placed Lancaster, one of the few teams below us, as we currently sat 19th. I'd always maintained that positions at such an early time in the season counted for little but when at half time we were leading by three goals I perhaps began to change my view. Kevin Sanasy opened the scoring with five minutes gone before Allan Pearce made it two before twenty minutes were up and then rounded off the scoring in the first half with his second shortly before the break. Ryan-Zico Black pulled one back for Lancaster with twenty minutes to play then ten minutes later Michael Yates made it 2-3 but fortunately we managed to hang on to claim another win.


Saturday 18th September 2004

Bradford (Park Avenue) 4-3 Southport Conference North

Confidence was high after our away win at the Giant Axe but todays opponents would be a different proposition although as we sat in 15th place before the game we felt no fear against a side who were yet to win a game this season and were currently 20th. We took a 15th minute lead from a powerful Allan Pearce header that came off a Kris Weckström cross before doubling the lead with an acute volley five minutes later. However, Terry Fearns then drew the sides closer together shortly before half time with a clever shot on the turn. He then drew the sides level seconds after half time with a stunning long range effort it was however to be in vain though as Kevin Sanasy scored two absolute stunning efforts in the final ten minutes to seal the win. However, there was still time for Fearns to complete his hat trick but it came with virtually the last kick of the game and Avenue celebrated another win.


Saturday 25th September 2004

Ashton United 1-2 Bradford (Park Avenue) Conference North

We were now 13th in the table and travelled to our 11th placed foes with high hopes of getting another win. These were further fuelled when Kevin Sanasy gave us a half time lead with a thirty-ninth-minute strike, I knew we needed to add to this to have any chance of winning this game but unfortunately it just didn't look like we had it in us and when Colin Alcide headed the sides level with little under ten minutes to go I have to admit I felt we might cave in but from somewhere the players found it in themselves to just push on that little bit further and within three minutes we were back in front. Andrew Quinn cut inside his marker from the right wing and unleashed a superb dipping strike from fully twenty-five yards. It left the 'keeper stranded and crisply found the back of the net for a late winner.


Tuesday 28th September 2004

Bradford (Park Avenue) 2-1 Barrow Conference North

I felt tiredness would be a major issue today but nonetheless was confident we could get something out of the game. We had risen from nineteenth to eight this month but with Barrow unbeaten and second in the table I realised this was perhaps our toughest task yet. We were soon in front though as Andrew Quinn was played in between the left back and left sided centre back, he took a touch before stroking the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper for a fifth minute lead. Craig Bentham then doubled our lead with a thirtieth minute penalty after Kris Weckström had been fouled. Minutes later he had another chance but could only drag his second spot kick wide of the mark. Something I hoped wouldn't hinder us later in the match. Fortunately it didn't and despite Graham Anthony pulling a goal back with a ninety-one minute penalty we were never really troubled by what looked a very ordinary Barrow side.

retired_brittni10

Saturday 2nd October 2004

Bradford (Park Avenue) 2-2 Braintree Town FA Cup Second Qualifying Round

October started with an FA Cup tie at home that we should have won. We fell behind to early goal when David McMahon headed home in the seventh minute but by half time we were leading 2-1. Kevin Sanasy slotted home from a Neil Grayston cross before Andrew Quinn followed up a effort from Kris Weckström to nudge the ball home. However, Braintree drew the sides level when Jeremy Robinson knocked home a cross from the left to set up a replay.


Wednesday 6th October 2004

Braintree Town 4-2 Bradford (Park Avenue) FA Cup Replay

After throwing away our lead on Saturday we went one better tonight as we lost a half time 2-0 lead to crash to a poor defeat. Kevin Sanasy had shot us into an early lead before doubling it with just twenty-two minutes gone and we looked to be coasting towards an easy victory but David McMahon struck back shortly before half time, then Guy Last levelled the tie before stunningly curling a free kick past Bennett to give the home side a lead. We tried in vain to equalise but when Tommy Noble struck again late on we all but conceded defeat and were sadly out.


Tuesday 19th October 2004

Bradford (Park Avenue) 2-0 Worksop Town Conference North

We had a long break after our disappointing cup exit, but I hoped we would hit back against a side who were just a place and a point below us in the table before the match. Kris Weckström picked up a groins strain in a midweek under 21 international for Finland so missed out, Ben Cressey taking his place on the left of midfield. A crowd of over one thousand people turned up today and saw a game high on passion and incident. Both sides had struck an upright before there was a breakthrough. Kevin Sanasy race onto an Allan Pearce thru-ball to slot home in the 73rd minute, it was quickly followed by another goal as Andrew Quinn turned his marker and lashed a superb cross shot into the far corner of the net to secure the win, it was his fifth goal of the season.


Saturday 23rd October 2004

Droylsden 3-1 Bradford (Park Avenue) Conference North

We travelled to the fourteenth placed Bloods looking to build on our recent form which had seen us rise to third in the table. However, it was the home side who had the better of the play in a first half that failed to produce any goals - the mercurial mullet of Steve Brodie twice going close. They wouldn't have to wait long though as Brodie was tripped in the box by Quinn within minutes of the restart - Graham Potter dispatching the resulting penalty with ease. It was soon two, Andrew Lee finishing off a fine passing move as we fell apart in midfield. It seemed to spark something though as with twenty minutes to go Sanasy pulled one back for us but ten minutes later Lee got his second of the game as he headed home a right wing cross.


Saturday 30th October 2004

Hucknall Town 4-3 Bradford (Park Avenue)Conference North

Our defeat the previous weekend had seen us drop to fifth in the table, our opponents had risen above us, now third so I was expecting a difficult game. It started that way too as Mark Smith strode between our centre backs before rounding Neil Bennett and tucking the ball home with just five minutes on the clock. Things were made worse a few minutes later when player/assistant manager Jamie Dolan was sent off for a heinous challenge just outside the box. Danny Bacon made it two on fifteen minutes and with it any plans I'd had of us moving back up the table evaporated. Though I glimpsed a come back when Sanasy continued his scoring streak my firing home a 25th minute goal for us. David Artell soon restored Hucknall's two goal lead when he curled a twenty-five yard free-kick into the goal with just minutes to go until half time. Bacon got his second shortly after the break and although Pearce and Sanasy pulled goals back late on the result never really looked in doubt.

retired_brinker317

Ian Ormondroyd, useful?! - He was a donkey

Other than that, excellent stuff

retired_brittni10

Cheers displaced_seagull

retired_brittni10

Saturday 6th November 2004

Chesham United 6-0 Bradford (Park Avenue) FA Trophy First Round

In the run up this game I was offered the chance to become Mansfield Town's new manager following the sacking of Keith Curle, thanks but no thanks. Morale in the squad was low even before this game after our recent run of defeats so I half expected us to start slowly. I wasn't pleased when David Town gave Chesham a 31st minute lead but his fine strike was worthy of a much higher level. The defending for their second left a lot to be desired though, when it became three before half time I think I could have cried. Things didn't bet better as Dominic Pearmain added to his first half double with virtually the first shot of the second half, his hattrick completed in the easiest of fashion. Quite frankly we were shocking and the result could have been a lot worse than what it eventually was.


Tuesday 9th November 2004

Bradford (Park Avenue) 1-1 Runcorn Conference North

After the debacle of last week I gave the players the bollocking they deserved and told them to give me a response today in the game. Despite our recent form we were somehow favourites going into this clash, I guess the bookies were sensing there could be some backlash - how I hoped we would. The bookies tend to be right about these things, after all, it is there job, so when we took the lead with twenty minutes gone through Allan Pearce I would have hoped we'd be able to build on it. Sadly we couldn't and on the hour, after some sustained late pressure, Chris Lightfoot fashioned a stylish equaliser to send both sides home with a point.


Wednesday 17th November 2004

Bradford (Park Avenue) 2-0 Vauxhall Motors Conference North

We sat in tenth place before the game and came up against seventeenth placed opponents but had you been watching the first half of this game without knowing which was which you'd be hard pressed to say. Both sides toiled without creating much, although it was I who went in the happier at half time, seventeen-year-old midfielder Stephen Kidd lashing home his first goal for the club after a stunning solo run. Twenty minutes from time another player got their first in our colours, substitute Mark O'Donnell racing onto a pass from midfield to fire home.


Saturday 20th November 2004

Alfreton Town 1-0 Bradford (Park Avenue) Conference North

The win took us up to seventh and meant that we now had a goal difference of zero. One thing that worried me though was that our form hadn't been consistent and in recent games we'd struggled. This away game proved to be no different and when Matt Fisher gave the home side a seventh minute lead I thought the worst. Fortunately they didn't, although they didn't get any better, the best we could muster was a disallowed Allan Pearce goal which was rightly judged to be offside.


Tuesday 30th November 2004

Moor Green 1-2 Bradford (Park Avenue) Conference North

A team twenty-first in the league should be easy pickings but from the first half display of both teams it looked like it would be difficult to pick a winner. Moor Green went close with a few free kicks, while for us Kevin Sanasy had a goal perhaps harshly ruled out for offside, nonetheless the teams were level at the break. It was to be Moor Green who made the first telling contribution to the second half, Neil Davis finding space in the box to turn home a cross to give them a fifty-fourth minute lead. Fortunately Stephen Kidd managed to level things up twenty minutes later with a well placed chip. At that point I would have settled for a point but from somewhere Sanasy produced an absolute moment of magic and in the ninety-fourth minute he scored a superb winner, taking the ball from the half way line he beat four men before curling the ball home from the edge of the box.

retired_brittni10

Wednesday 8th December 2004

Bradford (Park Avenue) 2-2 Kettering Town Conference North

Against a side nineteenth in the table we fancied our chances and started brightly, scoring after just two minutes when Kevin Sanasy headed home a Kris Weckström cross. I've no doubt in my mind that the pair could go on to play at a much higher level. Sadly, we didn't build on our lead and Kettering soon hit back, Toby O****ola slotting the equaliser past Bennett with fifteen gone. Fortunately we hit back almost immediately, the recalled Tom Kearney bursting from midfield to lash home a goal which saw us go into the break one up. Sadly the lead didn't last as within five minutes of the break Niall Inman had tied things up.


Saturday 11th December 2004

Redditch United 3-2 Bradford (Park Avenue) Conference North

After last weeks, quite frankly, disappointing display I hoped today we'd be able to get back on the winning trail, especially against a side twentieth in the table. We started the game brightly and were two goals up inside twenty minutes. Andrew Quinn converting an early penalty before Allan Pearce fired home a stunning solo effort on eighteen. I was hoping we'd keep out goal intact 'til the break but on forty-one minutes Redditch's Simon Hollis unleashed a screamer from fully thirty yards so we went in at half time just the one goal up. To say I was disappointed with our second half display would be a massive understatement, in fact I was livid, we capitulated to concede two goals, both scored by young striker Stephen Guinan and consequently threw the game away, to add to his striker Kevin Sanasy also got himself sent off in the closing minutes for fighting.


Saturday 18th December 2004

Bradford (Park Avenue) 0-3 Harrogate Town Conference North

In the run up to this match we lost a highly influential player, perhaps for the entire season. I was absolutely gutted for Kevin Sanasy when he fell badly in training, at first it looked completely innocuous but it was soon clear something was very wrong. He'd damaged his spine and badly, he'll be out of the game for around eighteen months, if not more. We wish him all the best for the future, during his time here he'd scored an impressive sixteen goals in twenty games, thirteen of them in the league. It's a massive loss. Todays game showed me how much we needed to add to the squad, but with no cash it's nigh impossible to sign anybody with real quality. First half goals from Colin Hunter and Justin Jackson did the damage before a comical own goal by 'keeper Neil Bennett, making a rare error capped a bad week for the club.


Tuesday 21st December 2004

Bradford (Park Avenue) 2-2 Altrincham Conference North

The day before this game I was offered the managers job at St. Patrick's Athletic, I didn't even think about it before turning it down. In recent weeks we'd slipped from a playoff position to twelfth place but I felt that if we could pick up some points today and in our next few games that we might be able to push on again. Today was another defensive master class from Avenue, except I think we were showcasing how not to defend. We took an early lead through the ever impressive Allan Pearce but soon Alty had equalised and then taken a the lead with goals from Hussin and Marrison, both coming within minutes of each other. Fortunately young Stephen Kidd managed to level things up before half time but only some wasteful Altrincham finishing prevented a defeat.


Sunday 26th December 2004

Gainsborough Trinity 4-0 Bradford (Park Avenue) Conference North

Boxing Day, whilst I wanted three points for Christmas it would seem that Conference side Scarborough had me in mind, or at least the press thought so as I was linked as the favourite to succeed recently sacked Nick Henry. Todays game for me was a miserable as the weather, we sunk without trace to a 4-0 defeat. Kris Kotylo and a Lee Ellington hat-trick doing the damage, the main problem for me was that the score line flattered us, we're playing that badly!


Tuesday 28th December 2004

Bradford (Park Avenue) 1-7 Worcester City Conference North

Our final match of the year was one in which I hoped we'd get our first three points of the month. Those hopes were raised when my assistant Jamie Dolan stooped to head home a seventh minute corner but how wrong I was. By half time we were four-one down, goals from Courtney Pitt, on his debut, a Leon Kelly double and a solitary Liam McDonald strike the difference. Half time was fun in our dressing room I can tell you. I made three changes. They worked we only conceded three goals in the second half - Kelly completing his hat trick then laying on another for Pitt before the latter cross for Adam Webster to score a late seventh. I'm beginning to fear for my job. Still, it would seem other teams like me as I'm linked in the press to Carlisle, manager less after the resignation of Paul Simpson.