(Image: John Rhodes)
Bradford (Park Avenue) returned to the summit of the Northern Premier League East Division on Saturday with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Ashington at Horsfall, officially making it their best start to a campaign since 1964.
Avenue, who have now gone 12 games unbeaten in the league since the start of the season, almost went ahead inside two minutes, only for in-form attacker Robbie Fox to have a goal ruled out for offside.
Some excellent last-ditch Ashington defending denied them again soon after, but the hosts were eventually rewarded for their bright start.
They broke the deadlock in the 16th minute with a clever goal.
Jake Thompson’s intelligent run inside his marker was picked out, and, from a tight angle, he calmly guided a right-footed finish into the bottom corner.
Jake Thompson whips in Avenue's opener from a tight angle. (Image: John Rhodes)
Just seven minutes later, Bradford doubled their advantage, as Thompson turned provider.
He delivered an in-swinging corner into a crowded penalty area, where defender Scott Duxbury rose highest to guide a header home.
Ben Andreucci coolly slotted the ball beyond Ashington goalkeeper Matty Alexander to seemingly make the score 3-0, but he was ruled to be offside.
Andreucci was not to be denied for long, finding the scoresheet six minutes before the break.
The Avenue's front line pressed aggressively inside the Ashington penalty area, forcing an error from the visitors' defence.
The loose ball fell to Luke Parkin, who unselfishly squared it to Andreucci, whose precise finish into the bottom corner put Bradford 3-0 ahead.
Ben Andreucci turns home Avenue's third goal. (Image: John Rhodes)
Avenue continued to threaten as the half drew to a close, with Thompson coming agonisingly close to claiming his second goal of the afternoon.
A constant threat down the left, he collected the ball before cutting inside the penalty area onto his right foot and curling a superb effort against the post.
The second half saw the hosts enjoy extended spells of possession, moving the ball around with purpose to try and tire out a chasing Ashington side.
However, the visitors did manage to pull a goal back in the 71st minute.
Good work down the right side created an opportunity to deliver the ball across goal, where attacker Noah Cunningham produced a clever flick to find the net.
The goal seemed to jolt the Avenue back into life, and they came close to restoring their three-goal advantage just minutes later.
Second half substitute Louie Chorlton found space on the right-hand side of the penalty area, but his effort was well saved by Alexander.
The rebound eventually fell to the returning Adam Haw, whose left-footed strike looked destined for the net before being cleared off the line by the Ashington defence.
In the 79th minute, Chorlton delivered an excellent cross from the right, which Marcus Carver met with a powerful header and sent into the net, only for the goal to be chalked off for offside.
Bradford eventually made the score 4-1 just before the final whistle.
Man of the match Thompson scored again, exchanging a clever one-two with Haw to create space on the edge of the penalty area, before drilling a low right-footed effort into the bottom corner, beyond the outstretched arm of Alexander.
Craig Elliott's side will now look to carry that momentum into tomorrow evening's fixture against mid-table Bridlington Town, where an away win could put them five points clear at the top of the table.