Pre-Match Programme: Bradford (Park Avenue) vs Liversedge

August 24, 2024 Off By admin

Bradford (Park Avenue) will be looking to reinvigorate their dreams of promotion on Bank Holiday Monday as they host Liversedge at the Horsfall Community Stadium.

After a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Brighouse Town last Tuesday, Avenue will be aiming to climb the Northern Premier League East Division table with a positive result.

Currently sitting 13th in the league with one win, one draw, and one loss, Bradford have shown flashes of promise but have struggled defensively in their opening games. In their last outing, they were forced to share the points with Brighouse despite Dan Francis’s equaliser and a strong second-half performance. The team will now be keen to capitalise on home advantage against a Liversedge side that has yet to find their stride this season.

Liversedge, who are currently 18th in the league, have endured a tough start, with two draws and two losses in their opening four matches. Their most recent game saw them fall 2-0 to league leaders Cleethorpes Town, with defensive errors and missed chances proving costly. Despite showing resilience and creating opportunities, Liversedge have struggled to find the back of the net. With just one goal in four games the visitors will be desperate to avoid defeat when they make the short journey to Bradford.

Players to Watch

Bradford (Park Avenue) – James Hanson: Despite being absent for the start of the season, the former Bradford City striker is a dominating presence on the field. He will likely only feature as a second half sub due to a lack of fitness, but Hanson is a tactical asset that Danny Whitaker is sure to call upon.

Brighouse Town – Ryan Toulson: The experienced right back is a familiar face at the Horsfall, having spent six years with the Avenue as both a player and a coach. At 38 years old, Toulson’s knowledge of the game is beyond doubt and he can be expected to be in the thick of it any time Bradford look like taking a shot.

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Head To Head: Bradford (Park Avenue) vs Liversedge FC

The clubs first met on the field in the 1972-73 season when Avenue’s reserves faced off against Sedge in the Yorkshire League’s third division. For the return leg in February 1973, Avenue’s player-manager Tony Leighton chose to field the first team against Liversedge, only to suffer an embarrassing 2-1 defeat. The following season Avenue entered into a ground share at Valley Parade and were unable to continue fielding a reserve side, leading to a 25 year gap before the teams met again.

When the sides finally met again in the late 1990s, Avenue, who were higher up the league structure, asserted their dominance. Although most encounters were pre-season friendlies, the teams also met in the County Cup, starting with a 2-0 victory for Bradford in the 1998-99 semi-final. This success carried into the new millennium, highlighted by a commanding 5-1 win in the 2003-04 County Cup thanks to a hat-trick from Steve Oleksewycz, and a resounding 6-0 pre-season victory in 2010, marking their biggest win against Liversedge.

However, the balance has shifted slightly in recent years, with Liversedge securing their first victory over Avenue since 1973 in a pre-season match in 2020. Now, with the clubs on equal footing in the league for the first time in their history, and their most recent encounter (a pre-season fixture just over a year ago) resulting in a 1-1 draw, Monday’s clash promises to be a closely contested affair.

Last 5 games:

Date	Home	Score	Away	Competition
2023	Liversedge	1-1	Bradford (Park Avenue)	Friendly
2020	Liversedge	1-0	Bradford (Park Avenue)	Friendly
2013	Liversedge	0-3	Bradford (Park Avenue)	Friendly
2010	Liversedge	0-6	Bradford (Park Avenue)	Friendly
2007	Liversedge	0-2	Bradford (Park Avenue)	Friendly

Credit: Our thanks go to Avenue club historian Tim Clapham for his incredible insights.

Predicted Result: Avenue Win

With Liversedge struggling to find their footing this season, Avenue should be confident pushing forwards. We expect Bradford will dominate possession, but the real test will be finding the back of the net.