FA Trophy Third Round
Bradford (Park Avenue) manager Mark Bower is targeting “a big upset” in the unmissable West Yorkshire derby with FC Halifax Town at Horsfall Stadium on Saturday.
National North outfit Avenue face a David versus Goliath contest with local rivals FC Halifax Town who are riding a crest of a wave after going joint top of the National League earlier this week.
“It would be a big upset,” former Halifax captain Bower told Non League Yorkshire.
“They’re joint top of the National League and we’re bottom end of the National North so people will be looking at it as an away win.
“We go into it with nothing to lose and a bit of confidence.
“It is at our place on the 3G which doesn’t always suit visiting teams so we know if we give a good account of ourselves and the majority of our players get seven or eight out of tens then we have a chance of causing an upset.
“It is a good occasion and I’m looking forward to it.
“There should be a decent crowd and decent atmosphere compared to what we have had over the few weeks and hopefully our players will thrive on that.”
Pete Wild’s Halifax have struggled against lower league opposition this season.
The Shaymen needed two games to defeat Pontefract Collieries in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round.
They were then knocked out by Kidderminster Harriers in the second round proper but Bower says their record against lesser teams won’t be a huge feature of the preparation.
“Not massively, we’ll just look at how we can stop their strengths and exploit one-or-two of their weaknesses,” he said.
“We have to make sure we do our jobs and everyone knows what to expect.
“(Halifax’s form against lower league sides) is something that may pray on their minds more than ours.
“It is not something we’ll look into.
“I’ve watched them play and we know a fair few of their players have come from National North level and we know we can compete against them.
“If we get the majority of our team playing well then we have a chance of getting a result.”
The Trophy tie is a welcome break from National North action for Avenue.
In a league with a number of clubs with huge wealth and fanbases, fourth-bottom Avenue and several other teams are in a fight for their lives near the foot of the table.
“Really we’re in survival mode,” Bower said.
“We have got to try and stay in the league, that’s the first target.
“If we can push up to the middle of the table that would be good season but as a group of players and management team we can’t look too far ahead.
“There’s so many big clubs (in the league), the majority of them spending a lot of money and pulling in really good players to play at this level.
“We are in a scrap at the bottom end to stay as far away from the bottom as we can.
“On the other hand it is (a) really good (league) because you’re playing at some tremendous stadium like Boston and York’s new grounds.
“Fylde is a lovely set-up as is various others.
“You see how well Kidderminster have done getting to the FA Cup third round so the standard is really good and we’re enjoying it and we want to stay a part of it.”
Resources dictate Avenue have to follow a model designed around attracting and developing young talent.
“We have got a mix (of youth and experience),” he said.
“We have some experience and we have managed to get some lads who have been with us in the past back to the club.
“The likes of Luca Havern, Nicky Clee, Mark Ross, very experienced players and they certainly help the young players around them.
“We have plenty of young lads who are trying to make their way in the game.
“Issac Marriott, Brad Dockerty, to name two.
“Then we have tried to utilise the loan market to try and bolster the squad and that has worked quite well as over the past couple of seasons.
“We have got to be creative and do the best we can to get the best team on the pitch and obviously try and develop some young players to hopefully sell on and act as a source of income in the future as well.”