Pre-Match Programme: Belper Town vs Bradford (Park Avenue)

August 11, 2024 Off By admin

Bradford (Park Avenue)’s newly formed side will be looking to build momentum as they take on Belper Town on Tuesday night.

After claiming victory against North Ferriby on Saturday, Danny Whitaker’s squad will have plenty to work on before they make the trip to Derbyshire on Tuesday night.

Despite taking all three points in a thrilling end to end game, Bradford’s defence appeared vulnerable at times. It was only through a combination of last-ditch efforts and a standout performance by goalkeeper Craig Ellison that they managed to keep a clean sheet. The issues at the back were no doubt impacted by the sudden departure of defender Ryley D’Sena, but this only served to underscore an existing weakness in the squad. While time may allow the team to gel and overcome these issues, it seems likely that Avenue will need to bring in a replacement.

Opposition Profile: Belper Town

Having suffered relegation from the NPL Premier Division in 2022/23, Belper Town just missed out on the playoffs at the end of last season due to a poor run of form in their last 6 games. And despite coming from behind to win their first league game against Heaton Stannington, the squad is lacking depth and are currently struggling to fill their subs bench. Speaking at the end of the game, manager Lee Attenborough said:

“We only had two outfield players on the bench in Toby (Gregory) and Brodie (Litchfield). Larell King isn’t fit and although we named him (on the bench) he’s not here. Ben Rhodes is suspended, and Harry Draper is away until Friday, so we were actually at the bare bones today. Keaton came along almost as an emergency sub, and we sort of broke the glass for an emergency and brought him on and he’s changed the game.”

Players to Watch

Bradford (Park Avenue) – Kareem Hassan-Smith: Having proven himself with a goal on Saturday, the former Huddersfield Town and Barnsley academy player has shown he can cause problems for defenders, despite technically being one himself. Should Whitaker allow his side the attacking freedom they had against North Ferriby, Hassan-Smith will no doubt find himself involved heavily in the final third.
Belper Town – Keaton August: Part of the Ascot United side that lifted the FA Vase in 2023, the 24 year old forward from South Africa poses a real threat in front of goal. Having signed for Belper in pre-season, he’s already found the back of the net with a well struck volley against Heaton Stannington on Saturday, despite coming into the game carrying a knock. Should August be fit to play, he’ll be likely to capitalise on any defensive errors.

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Head To Head: Belper Town vs Bradford Park Avenue

CORRECTION: In researching this article, we were originally unable to find any record of the two sides meeting before this season, so for this week’s head to head, we opted to bring you the results of both sides last five league games. Since posting, we were contacted by Bradford (Park Avenue) club historian, Tim Clapham, who kindly provided us with the information below:

Bradford (Park Avenue) and Belper Town have previously faced off 12 times in various competitions. The majority of their encounters occurred in the NPL First Division between 1998 and 2007, with a single meeting in the FA Cup during the 1992-93 season and another clash in the FA Vase in 1993-94.

Bradford (Park Avenue) have enjoyed a favourable record when playing at Belper’s ground, securing three victories out of five visits. The remaining two matches resulted in one draw and one defeat. Notably, the last time these two teams met at Belper was on 16th December 2006, when Bradford (Park Avenue) emerged victorious with a 3-1 win.

As they prepare to meet again, Tuesday’s match marks their first encounter at Belper in almost 18 years.

Belper Town Last Five League Games:

Date	Home/Away	Home/Away	Competition	Competition	Attendance
Sat 20 Apr 2024	A	Hebburn Town	NPL East	Lose: 4-0	611
Tue 23 Apr 2024	A	Pontefract Collieries	NPL East	Lose: 3-0	307
Thu 25 Apr 2024	A	Liversedge	NPL East	Win: 0-2	191
Sat 27 Apr 2024	H	Stockton Town	NPL East	Lose: 0-4	867
Sat 10 Aug 2024	A	Heaton Stannington	NPL East	Win: 1-2	417

Bradford (Park Avenue) Last Five League Games:

Date	Home/Away	Opposition	Competition	Result	Attendance
Mon 1 Apr 2024	H	Radcliffe	NPL Premier	Lose: 2-3	808
Sat 6 Apr 2024	H	Basford United	NPL Premier	Win: 2-1	384
Sat 20 Apr 2024	H	Gainsborough Trinity	NPL Premier	Draw: 3 – 3	569
Sat 27 Apr 2024	A	Matlock Town	NPL Premier	Lose: 5-2	802
Sat 10 Aug 2024	H	North Ferriby	NPL East	Win: 1-0	335

Predicted Result: Avenue Win

If Bradford can stabilise the back line, we can expect to see them win comfortably. With such a limited roster of players, Belper are likely to struggle as the match wears on and fatigue sets in – unless, of course, they manage to bring in fresh players before the game.