National North
January was a success for Bradford (Park Avenue) so Mark Bower is hoping his men kick on during February.
Three wins – against Chester, Kettering Town and York City – out of six has created a handy seven-point buffer between them and basement side Farsley Celtic.
Avenue occupy 17th spot but Bower is not getting carried away ahead of the home clash with Alfreton Town tomorrow.
He also says a good run of form during February won’t put Avenue on the brink of safety.
“If we finished (the season) today we’d be satisfied with where we are to be honest,” Bower told Non League Yorkshire.
“But we can’t concentrate on that.
“We know where we need to get to and we want to get to there as soon as we possibly can in terms of a points tally.
“We won’t worry too much about teams in and around us and what they’re doing and how the league table looks.
“We need to make sure we win as many games so we can to get to where we need to be.
“I don’t think whatever we do in February any job will be done.
“We’re not placing too much emphasis on that.
“It is nice to have a little gap between us and any danger.
“We’ll just carry on.
“Nine points from six games; if we keep going with that kind of ratio that’ll put us in a comfortable position come the end of the season.
“That’s what we will concentrate on.
“But you can’t look too far ahead, we just have to try to get a result against Alfreton.
“The lads were frustrated on Saturday (at AFC Telford) that we didn’t get chance to keep the run going.
“We’ll look at the Alfreton game to one to carry on the good feeling we built up at the start of last week.
“We had a bad defeat there earlier in the season and it was mentioned in our dressing room after Saturday that we need to prepare really well this week for a game against a team we need to show up against because it was our poorest performance of the season when we went to Alfreton.
“We have players who want to put the record straight.”
Although the 3-0 defeat at lowly AFC Telford United was disappointing last Saturday, spirits should be still high.
Avenue beat Kettering Town in dramatic fashion before the stunning victory at York City in the lead-up to the Telford loss.
“I’m not too fussed about the table, (recent results) are more about the confidence it gives the players and our supporters, Bower said.
“That’s the most important thing and that’s what every team is going out to do every week.
“Six points from the three games; we’d have probably taken that if you had offered it to us beforehand.
“Kettering was a vital three points because you want to stay as far away from the bottom as we possibly can.
“The York should give the lads belief that we can match teams in this league and we can go and compete and see the benefits of being organised and hard to beat.
“They have been very important victories for different reasons.
“it is just disappointing we didn’t get the chance to follow it up against Telford.
“It was never going to be ideal when we had a man (Dylan Mottley-Henry) sent off after seven minutes so when you have played in two really tough games leading into it and playing against a team that has just won 5-0.
“I thought the lads did really well and gave us everything they had.
“Ultimately you’re not going to get results with ten men for that long in a game.
“It was disappointing because it was on the back of two really good results as well.”
Bower also spoke of his appreciation for the club’s supporters who he says understand how difficult it is for Avenue to compete in the National North.
“I think supporters are realistic and they know where we are as a club and that it is going to be difficult for us competing against the majority of the teams in this league,” he said.
“They’re realistic and honest and they appreciate the efforts that are going in on the pitch.
“We have had decent January, we’ve won three out of six, taken nine points so I think anyone who has been to see us (in January) has seen that performances on the whole have been pretty decent.
“If you go back to games where we have drawn or lost I can make a strong case for us winning (in a lot of those games) as well so people who have seen us over the majority of the season know we have been competing well and are capable of getting results.”
Bower is hoping to have midfielder Lucas Odunston back for the Alfreton game.
Dylan Mottley-Henry is suspended while Jordan Windass (cracked bone in his leg) will be out for another month.
Speaking earlier in the week, the Avenue boss said he had no further incoming signings planned.
“I wouldn’t say there is any irons in the fire at the minute, we’ve certainly bolstered the squad (in recent weeks) and we’re looking a lot stronger and we have a couple of lads coming back from injury as well,” he said.
“But you’re always looking and seeing if there is anyone who can improve you.
“Bringing three makes a big difference to your squad and we knew there were some spaces to fill.
“Obviously Lewis (Knight) comes in and we know what he is about and once we get him up to speed we know we have a really good player.
“The two lads (Sam Fielding and Harrison Hopper) from York are good prospects and we feel if we can give them regular games then they will really come on and improve and follow in the footsteps of the lads of Lewis, Alex Hurst and Issac Marriott.
“That’s the thinking behind those ones.”