Bradford Park Avenue 0, Chorley 0: Missed penalty is costly for Magpies

But, the penalty apart, the Magpies had enough chances to have won the match comfortably and were left to rue the failure to find the net for a third consecutive National North game.

The main talking-point was the role of Avenue keeper Dan Atkinson who produced a brilliant save to keep out Lewis Reilly’s spot-kick – but arguably should not have been on the pitch to face it.

Having already been yellow-carded for charging out of the penalty-area and clattering Connor Hall, Atkinson brought down the same player a second time with less than fifteen minutes to play, yet incredibly escaped a second yellow card.

In the event, Reilly, who had converted all three Chorley penalties this term, struck a decent effort low to Atkinson’s right only for the keeper not only to save it but quickly get to his feet and keep out the rebound.

In a relatively even first half, Harry Cardwell failed to profit from three early chances for Chorley, while Magpies’ keeper Matt Urwin did well to save from Jamie Lyons when he got on the end of a dangerous cross into the box. After the break, Chorley really took control and Bradford were hanging on for much of the half in the face of constant pressure.

Atkinson kept out a sharp, angled attempt from Elliot Newby at the near post and Lewis Baines headed wide from a tempting Cardwell cross.

Then Olly Shenton’s stinging drive was deflected for a corner and shortly before the penalty award, Hall could not

get a proper contact on Cardwell’s raking centre, the ball going wide of the post.

There was always the risk that Avenue might nick a goal on the break and Chorley had a late scare when a Harry Boyes effort was deflected wide. The

final act, however, came at the other end, where Magpies’ substitute Chris Conn-Clarke broke through only to shoot wide.

CHORLEY : Urwin, Birch, Halls, Leather, Baines, Calveley, Cardwell, Newby (Conn-Clarke,66), Shenton (Reilly,74), Walker, Hall.

Unused subs. Smith, Garratt, Marah.