First Team
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Sat 17 Aug 2019  ·  Vanarama National League North
Alfreton Town Football Club
First Team
4
0
Bradford Park Avenue
Report: Reds dismantle Bradford and hit four

Report: Reds dismantle Bradford and hit four

Towerzey Lisa17 Aug 2019 - 19:30
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Alfreton Town 4-0 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Two goals from Amari Morgan-Smith as well as one from Danny Clarke and an own goal sealed a big win for the Reds as they dominated Bradford at the Impact Arena on Saturday.

Amari reacted to a loose back pass after 12 minutes to race on and jink past Taylor in the Bradford goal and fire into the empty net. The Reds forward was then brought down just before half time as he attempted to head Josh Wilde's cross, Morgan-Smith converted the penalty to extend the lead.

Danny Clarke added a third in similar fashion to our opening goal with yet another stray back pass which Clarke reacted and finished under Taylor. An own goal on 73 minutes completed the scoring as we romped to three points.

The game started in a low key fashion for us with Avenue starting the better and creating the early ventures into the final third. David Lynch and Josh Clackstone mopped up early crosses before Knight was slid through in the box only to be denied thanks to a back-tracking interception from Lynch.

However with 12 gone, we took the lead when Amari Morgan-Smith latched onto a loose back pass and glided past the oncoming Taylor to fire into the empty net. Arguably it was against the run of play with the visitors starting the better, but it was a welcome gift to give us the lead.

Amari was then denied via a crucial block in the box before panic set in within the Avenue back-line as their clearances became rash and the pressure from Clarke and Amari forced possession back to the Reds.

Danny Clarke's penalty claim was waved away after he looked to have been dragged down in the box before Avenue won a free kick in a good position at the other end only for Knight's effort to be blocked behind, we then cleared the resulting corner.

Crosses were causing us issues as we cleared another from the right before Bradford did put the ball in the net on 35 minutes when Hurst found Hakeem who finished under Jack Atkinson but the offside flag was raised.

Then with 38 gone, we were awarded a penalty when Amari attempted to convert Josh Wilde's cross from the left but was bundled to the ground. The Reds striker stepped up to send Taylor the wrong way.

Wilde nearly made it three, collecting Josh Clackstone's pinpoint cross-field pass but he could only clip the ball over the bar at the far post.

The second half started well for us with Clarke firing a volley over the bar in the box, before Orlando-Young had the visitors best chance blazing over the bar at the far post when unmarked from a right wing cross.

With 57 gone it was three, when in mirror image fashion to our first goal, Bradford produced another loose back pass and Clarke raced on to finish under Taylor and into the corner.

Amari curled over the bar before Clarke flicked a Josh Thacker cross straight at Taylor. Clackstone hit one just over the bar in the box before Amari forced yet another save from Taylor from Bobby Johnson's free kick.

It was four on 74 when Wilde's cross was converted into his own net by Lund, Taylor got a hand on it as the ball hit the bar and bounced in. The Reds were completely dominant and were full of confidence as they saw the game out in the final stages.

Atkinson who had little to do, produced a great save onto the bar to deny a shot from outside the box but that proved the only real work to do as we glided to three points and a clean sheet to bounce back from Tuesday's loss.

We'll look to continue the good form and performances and aim for a third win in four, as we head to Guiseley next Saturday, kick off is 3pm at Nethermoor.

ATFCXI: Atkinson, Clackstone, Wilde (c) (Bacon 80), Lynch (Whitham 67), Killock, Qualter, Thacker, Smith, Clarke (Tomlinson 75), Morgan-Smith, Johnson.

Subs Not Used: Blake, Williams.

Referee: Michael Barlow
Attendance: 378

Match details

Match date

Sat 17 Aug 2019

Kickoff

15:00

Attendance

378

Competition

Vanarama National League North
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