Bradford (Park Avenue) Claim First League Win After Second-Half Comeback

Strong second-half performance secures victory against Guisborough Town

Bradford (Park Avenue) secured their first league win of the season in the Pitching In Northern Premier League East with a 3-1 comeback victory over Guisborough Town at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium on Saturday.

Early setback for Bradford

The match started poorly for Bradford as Guisborough took the lead within five minutes. Matthew Willshaw capitalised on a corner, heading the ball into the net to give the home side an early advantage. Bradford appeared rusty in the opening stages, possibly affected by a recent postponement of their midweek fixture against Silsden AFC due to a cup replay.

Despite the slow start, Bradford began to improve after the half-hour mark. Luke Parkin came close to equalising when he received a through ball from Marcus Carver, but his shot went just over the bar. Guisborough’s goalkeeper Ryan Catterick maintained his team’s lead by organising his defence effectively as the first half ended 1-0 in favour of the hosts.

Bradford’s second-half resurgence

After the interval, Bradford showed renewed energy and control, moving the ball quickly and dominating possession. Scott Duxbury tested the Guisborough defence with a powerful shot that narrowly missed the target. Much of Bradford’s attacking play came from the right wing, where Louie Chorlton was particularly influential.

Shortly after the hour mark, Bradford were awarded a penalty when Chorlton was fouled inside the penalty area. Marcus Carver, last season’s top goalscorer, converted the spot-kick to level the score at 1-1. Four minutes later, Carver scored again, this time from close range following a cross from Connor Shanks, putting Bradford ahead 2-1.

Bradford extended their lead in the 77th minute when Chorlton finished a move down the left side. After a combined effort from Robbie Fox and Adam Haw, Chorlton sidefooted the ball past the goalkeeper to make it 3-1.

Closing stages and match details

Bradford managed the remainder of the game well, restricting Guisborough’s attacking opportunities and maintaining their advantage until the final whistle. The victory marks a positive start to the season for Craig Elliott’s side, who will look to build on this result in their next fixture against Stocksbridge Park Steels on Wednesday.

Match summary

• Final score: Bradford (Park Avenue) 3 – 1 Guisborough Town
• Goalscorers: Willshaw (5′ – Guisborough), Carver (63′ pen, 67′), Chorlton (77′ – Bradford)
• Attendance: 385
• Referee: Glen Hart

Team line-ups

Guisborough Town: Catterick, Griffiths (Robinson 83′), Collins, Coates (Simpson 72′), Frazer (C), Errington, Fergus, Payne, Willshaw, Doherty (Bailey 58′), Ferguson (Beddow 87′)

Bradford (Park Avenue): Lambton, Brown, Winfield, Abbott (Ekpolo 66′), Duxbury, Ible (C), Chorlton (Hassan-Smith 79′), Shanks, Carver (Andreucci 73′), Parkin (Haw 66′), Fox (Thompson 80′)