Bradford Park Avenue (A) – Match Preview

We are now guaranteed, at the very worst, a 3rd place finish, which means if we somehow end up in the play-offs then we will be playing at home

It has been 164 days since we first reached the summit of the league table, and since then we have gone on to score 79 goals and concede just 18, with the Steelmen playing 24 games in that time.

We are also currently the 5th most in-form team across all of Step 4, picking up 16 points in our last 6 games (Thanks, Lincoln).

Adam Boyes is extending his lead at the top of Step 4’s top scorer chart, now 3 clear of Albie Hall (34 to 31)

Brad Fewster is the only other Steelman to score more than 20 in the league, sitting 9th in the Step 4 charts on 21 goals.

Louis Johnson is 24th with 19 goals, and Oscar Fletcher is 46th with 16 goals.

Interestingly, despite being the highest scoring side in the nation, our league has the fifth lowest average, on just 2.93 goals per game, putting us level with the National League.

Of the 1,118 goals scored in our league so far, we have scored just under 11% of them.

We have also conceded just 3% of those league goals, too.

To emphasise that gulf, Matlock have scored 7% of this campaign’s goals and conceded 4%, and as the combined worst scoring + conceding side, Brighouse Town have put in just 2.6% of the league’s goals and shipped 6% of them too.

Points per game is another category where we have stormed ahead, currently sitting on a near-perfect 2.56 points per match, with Matlock Town the closest to us on 2.06. However, they are actually closer to matching Heaton Stannington’s 1.57 tally.

Of the 4 step 4 sides who have kept the most clean sheets, our league holds 3 of them, with Emley being the only side to have more than 20, though us and our next opponents are both sitting on 17

Whilst that would open the door for tomorrow’s match ending 0-0, we average 3.56 goals per game against Bradford’s 1.46

Away from home, we are a defensive unit, having not conceded in our last 10 away matches.

So, if you are looking for a prediction, then, with everything to count, it seems like a 2-0 win for the Steelmen may be the most likely scoreline.

(But don’t use this as a reason to make any bets. I’m never right, that’s why I don’t gamble.)

Now, onto Bradford Park Avenue, who, for the sake of the word count, I will refer to as Bradford PA for the rest of this article

Their last 9 matches have had pairings of everything, with 2 back-to-back draws in January being followed by a pair of 2-0 wins, though most recently they have suffered 2 defeats in a row.

A 3-1 loss to Garforth was the preface for a 2-1 defeat to Heaton Stannington 4 days later

11 of Avenue’s last 13 games have seen either side score 2 or more goals, with Bradford failing to score that amount in just 5 of those 11

Of their recent results, there are 2 poignant ones. The first was a 3-1 defeat to Step 5 side Barnoldswick Town in the West Riding Cup, with all 3 of Barnoldswick’s goals coming in 23 minutes from the 45th to 68th minute

The other result, which is much more impactful to our campaign, was Bradford’s 2-0 win against Matlock at the start of February, in which Ben Andreucci scored a 10-minute brace that gave our title rivals their 6th loss of the league season (which was followed by defeats to Emley and Dunston for their 7th and 8th)

Defensively, Bradford PA have been phenomenal, but their attack has been more of an issue, with just one player having scored more than 10 goals

Having joined the side in January, Ben Andreucci bagged 3 of his 4 goals in February, with his Matlock brace being the first ones

At the other end, one of the most intriguing stories occurred, which I feel I have to let you know about.

On the 3rd of February, Bradford loaned in Doncaster keeper Ben Oram for the rest of the season.

He went into their lineup and kept a clean sheet against Matlock.

The NEXT DAY, Doncaster recalled him due to an injury to one of their own goalkeepers.

Ben played 1 match for Bradford, massively dented Matlock’s title chances, and left.

Brilliant stuff, even if it was unintentional, from the 20-year-old, and I guess that means we are now eternally grateful to him, or not. I’ll let you decide.

Hope to see you at Bradford tomorrow afternoon, but if not, then there will be live X updates, and then hopefully you are at the Hollou for our midweek clash against Matlock Town.

As always, take care, and up the Steelmen!