National North
Bradford (Park Avenue) manager Mark Bower has warned his players to expect another almighty challenge at York City on Sunday.
Avenue face John Askey’s side who are now knocking on the door of the play-offs after a poor start to the season and Bower admits his men go to the LNER Community Stadium as big underdogs.
“(The York) team is built to win the league, not sneak into the play-offs,” Bower told Non League Yorkshire.
“If you look at their squad on paper it should be right up there challenging for the title.
“There’s no reason why they can’t get back in and amongst it (at the top) over-time and they do keep picking up clean sheets and they’re churning out victories.
“That’s the sign of a good team that when they’re not particularly playing at their best, they are still churning out results under their new manager.
“We know it will be really difficult.
“It is not really a free hit but there’s less pressure on us to go out there and get a result than there would be normally.
“If we play with a bit of freedom we have shown we have the capability at the top end of the pitch to score goals.
“It should be on and I think it will be similar to the Halifax game in terms of York will look to dominate possession just like Halifax did against us.
“We have to be disciplined and organised out of possession and make sure we make it as hard for them as we possibly can whilst also carrying a threat going forward ourselves.
“We were good on the counter against Guiseley and Halifax.
“We also want to get a bit of control ourselves and get on the ball and look to cause them some problems.
“It will be difficult, away from home in front of a big crowd in a new stadium,
“Hopefully it is one our young players will relish going to and will enjoy it.
“But you only enjoy it if you get a result.”
What Avenue can feast during their preparation on is three consecutive positive displays – against Leamington, FC Halifax Town in the FA Trophy and Guiseley on Tuesday afternoon.
A threadbare Avenue were left heartbroken at Nethermoor as Guiseley scored a dramatic last minute equaliser to claim a 2-2 draw and Bower says his troops were very unlucky.
“I think we were the better team throughout despite Guiseley having a bit more of the ball than in the first half,” he said.
“We looked the most threatening and had the better chances by far in the game.
“We scored a goal to go 3-1 with two minutes to go which was ruled out for offside.
“Although the angle on the camera isn’t the best, having watched it back it certainly looks onside who we feel hard done by there.
“They go down the other end and score with a deflected effort which rubbed the salt in.
“So yeah, really disappointing not to win it.
“I thought we deserved to win it and it just isn’t going for us with decisions going against us and the misfortune of the deflected shot going in.
“(Guiseley) are in and around us in the table at the moment.
“Ultimately it is all about getting enough points to stay up and we had three in our grasp with a couple of minutes to go and unfortunately two of them have disappeared.
“We can take a lot of heart and confidence from our last few performances.
“We did well down at Leamington, really well against Halifax in Trophy and we were the better team on Tuesday against Guiseley.”
Avenue have been affected as clubs at all levels have been by the rise in covid-19 and Bower admits fielding a team at Guiseley was tough.
“We couldn’t fill the bench on Tuesday as we had a couple of lads out with covid,” he said.
“We sold Isaac Marriott just before Christmas.
“Simon Richman was injured so we were a bit short.
“The lads who were missing because of covid will be back for the York game and you’re just hoping your physio doesn’t ring you with news on anymore who have come down with it.
“You see teams wanting to call games off right, left and centre.
“We don’t want to call games off, we want to play as many as we can.
“As long as we get near to 14 players we’ll go out there and do the best we can.”
Although players are returning, Bower intends to bolster his squad.
Isaac Marriott was sold to Altrincham so that is one void and although he put no timescale on for the arrival of new faces, the Avenue boss is keen to recruit due to the January schedule containing seven fixtures.
“We’ll be looking to replace (Marriott) but it is an opportunity for players who haven’t had as much game-time this year to step up,” he said.
“Lucas Odunston has been in and out this season and has played in a different positions.
“With Isaac gone he stepped into that role on Tuesday and was outstanding.
“He had a lot of energy and he picked up a lot of loose balls and was good on the ball.
“But we will be looking to strengthen.
“We have an awful lot of games coming up in January so we will need a bit more depth.
“Frankie Maguire who has come in from Sheffield United recently, hopefully he can keep improving as he gets used to the level.
“Mitch Lund did a good job for us on Tuesday so we’re not too bad but we will need a body or two.”
Striker Rob Guilfoyle is unlikely to return at the moment as Bower is really pleased with how the youngster is performing on loan at NPL Division One East side Pontefract Collieries and with what he is gaining from.
“I have been watching Rob and he had a good start by scoring a couple of goals in his first game,” he said.
“He scored again the other day (against Frickley Athletic).
“Rob has not played much men’s football so the experience out on loan will certainly be good for him.
“He’ll get a few bumps and bruises and a few hard knocks always helps young players develop,
“Rob has some real good natural ability and this loan spell we hope will do him the world of good.
“They have him for another month or so but we can recall him if we need to numbers-wise.
“But we do see the benefit of him playing there and getting minutes under his belt as he’s never had a sustained run of games in men’s football.
“He’s been well looked after there and we know a few lads there so we know it is a good experience for him.
“Hopefully he can continue helping them and scoring a few goals as well.”
The sale of Marriott can be looked at in different ways.
The negative view is selling a key player during a relegation battle is a foolish move to make.
But his sale proves Avenue’s business model is working.
Avenue openly admit they want to develop young players and sell them on to help create a sustainable business.
Marriott followed in Notts County’s Lewis Knight’s footsteps and Bower says Brad Dockerty, who scored the second goal at Guiseley, has the potential to move higher in the long-term.
“He is someone myself and (late secretary) Colin Barker identified a couple of years ago and kept an eye on him at Hemsworth over a season,” he said.
“I left at the end of that summer but Colin passed him to the board and they worked on the deal to get Brad in.
“We have worked with Brad over the last couple of years and he’s improved his fitness and all-round game and he’s always had that natural ability to go past a man and get goals.
“We’re seeing a more complete player at the minute and he’s getting hold of the ball better for us and he’s working harder.
“He’s sharper and fitter and when you’re in that kind of condition, like Tuesday in the last ten minutes you’re not fatigued and he’s left his man for dead and being composed with his finish.
“We’re seeing more of that from Brad.
“Isaac came from the other end as he was released by a Championship club in Huddersfield.
“Lewis Knight had been in America for a few years so we try to do our best to scour as many places as possible to get lads, especially young ones, that can enhance their value but also help the team out in the meantime.
“The likes of Lewis Knight, Isaac Marriott and Brad Dockerty have all done that.
“I’m sure a few will be keeping an eye on Brad with the amount of goals he’s been scoring and setting up recently.”