National North
Mark Bower says Bradford (Park Avenue) are closing in on reaching the safety line but he is not counting his chickens just yet.
With the home clash with 17th placed Gloucester City looming tomorrow, Avenue are 11 points clear of basement side Farsley Celtic.
Avenue, who have one of the lowest budgets in the league, if not the lowest, are aiming to get out of a rut of two straight defeats and Bower admits his men have placed themselves with a great chance of securing their status in the coming weeks.
“We’re still in the battle to retain our status in the Division,” Bower told Non League Yorkshire.
“I think most people would have had us lower down with fewer points at this stage.
“From that point of view you’d take where we are.
“We knew the job this season was to stay in the Division and we’re three quarters into the season and we have put ourselves in a strong position to achieve that.
“We want to achieve that as soon as we can.
“I think in and around 40 points will be just about enough.
“We are sat on 33 at the minute and with plenty of games to go, we’d like to get beyond that.
“Ultimately that’s the aim and to get there as soon as possible would be ideal.
“We are (in touching distance) and I’d certainly rather be in our position than teams below us.
“But it is amazing how form can change at our level.
“You see Southport were bottom at the start of the season and they go on a great run and get themselves in the play-offs positions.
“Chester were up amongst the play-offs positions early doors and they’ve dropped right down so it can change quickly.
“When you get into bad runs it can be hard to get out of them.”
Although Gloucester are below them in the table, Bower does not regard the match as a six-pointer.
“I wouldn’t say (must-win),” he said.
“If we win or lose the game, all it will be is three more points or three less points, it is not must-win.
“We have done well when we have had a couple of bad results we have managed to break ducks quickly and not had extended periods where we haven’t picked up points.
“It is important after losing a couple of games we get back to getting points on the board and at the very least maintain the distance between ourselves and the bottom.
“Ideally we want to extend that gap.”
It is very winnable though.
However, Bower says the Horsfall Stadium 3G pitch won’t put Gloucester off.
“It is a home game against a side travelling a long way and who are in and around in the league table, I think both teams will look at it as an opportunity to get three points,” he said.
“We’ll viewed it that way and prepare the best way we can to win the game.
“One thing that has helped us in the last few months is the fact we have worked it well on our pitch and a few teams have come and found it hard to adapt.
“Gloucester play on a 3G so it is not going to affect them at all.
“That kind of advantage goes out of the window and they’re a full-time team who have been in decent form.
“It will be a tough game but we’ll go out to try and win it because after a couple of defeats on the bounce it is important we break the duck and get some points on the board.”
Even though 12 games are remaining, Bower has been preparing for next season.
Dylan Mottley-Henry recently signed a contract and Bower says planning is underway.
“A lot of the lads who signed contracts for this season have provisions for the following season,” he said.
“It is important we protect the assets we have got and ensure we don’t have to have wholesale in the summer.
“The lads have done a good job this season on the whole.
“Dylan came in on a non-contract and he showed how dedicated he was to it and it was important we rewarded him and secured him for next season.
“There’s one-or-two whose situation needs sorting sooner rather than later.
“There’s others who will be more suited for dealing with in the summer.
“We’re always looking forward and we’re out watching games at the minute with a view to players for next season.”