The Lions fell to a 2-1 pre-season friendly defeat at Bradford (Park Avenue’s) Horsfall Stadium on a sunny Monday night, writes Adam Bridson.
The hunt for a first pre-season win continues for Mark Bower’s men after Charlie Winfield and former Lion Prince Ekpolo struck for the hosts either side of Will Longbottom’s finish again his old employers.
Supporters took advantage of BPA’s free entry offer to watch the contest between two sides who are well known to each other.
The sun beamed down on the Horsfall as the game got underway and just seven minutes into the contest Longbottom could have opened the scoring but his flicked effort went just wide as he got on the end of John Lufudu’s threatening delivery.
A minute later and BPA broke the deadlock, Winfield slotting in with his left foot from close range.
After a settled spell in the game Longbottom had a great chance to level the scores, he again got on the end of a Lufudu delivery but fired straight at Jack Hall in the home goal.
Longbottom made no mistake with his next opportunity as he was once again found by Lufudu in space two yards out to level the friendly. There were strong appeals from the home backline that the forward had strayed into an offiside position but the assistant referee was adamant that the goal should stand.
Nothing could separate the sides for the remaining 20 first half minutes and Bower introduced Jordan Thewlis at the break for Joao Silva.
A string of substitutions followed in the second half which never really got going, the Lions introduced seven players from the bench throughout the final half.
With 25 minutes left Avenue were back in front when Ekpolo picked up possession and curled his shot past Joe Cracknell and in to the bottom corner.
Two minutes later Trialist E, who had only been introduced just after BPA’s second goal, whipped in a great ball from a free kick on the right hand side of the pitch. Taylor Bowen leapt highest to head goalwards but Hall got down low to parry the ball wide of the post.
It was the last chance in the match as the Lions’ focus turns to the penultimate pre-season friendly ahead of the 2025/26 campaign at Silsden on Friday night in a 7:45pm kick-off.
Bradford (Park Avenue) 2-1 Guiseley | Monday 21st July 2025 | Horsfall Stadium
Attendance: not known
Team: 1. Joe Cracknell, 3. Ollie Brown (67′ Trialist C), 4. Jamie Spencer (64′ Trialist E), 5. Lebrun Mbeka (C), 6. Jake Lawlor, 7. John Lufudu (67′ Trialist D), 8. Harrison Hopper, 10. Amir Berchil, 11. Will Longbottom (63′ Bowen), 14. Joao Silva (46′ Thewlis) and 15. Trialist A (81′ Trialist B).
Subs: 2. Sam Bentley, 9. Jordan Thewlis, 12. Marley Spence, 13. Spencer Booth (GK), 16. Trialist B, 17. Trialist C, 18. Taylor Bowen, 19. Trialist D and 20. Trialist E.
