National North
Mark Bower says resurgent Bradford (Park Avenue)’s upcoming busy schedule is gruelling but yet potentially profitable.
Tomorrow’s home clash with third-placed Brackley Town kicks a run of four fixtures in nine days.
Avenue then face at least three more matches in November.
Although frustrated with the hectic calendar, Bower agrees Avenue have an opportunity to push further up the table and build on what three straight wins have done for their season.
“I have listened to managers this week and they were talking about being down to bare bones and having a few tired legs going into this period,” Bower told Non League Yorkshire.
“For a start I think it is ridiculous.
“We have spent August and September barely playing a midweek fixture and we have this spell coming up where we’re playing nearly every midweek.
“As the weather starts turning it is not as easy for fans to watch games in this weather and not as easy on the dark nights.
“We actually have two scheduled home fixtures in midweek in December when we had one in August and September which for me is madness.
“We have to deal with it and it will be tougher for us than most because of the small squad we have got and not having the resources to go out and get two-or-three players for cover.
“We have versatile players and we will have to be very clever with how we manage the players over the next few weeks.
“We have probably got ourselves in good form at the right time and we’d delighted to keep on going like we have been doing because in a few weeks we will have played another five-or-six games and (positive results) could make a massive difference.
“Four games ago people had us as dead and buried because of where we were in the league.
“It is amazing how quickly football can change.
“We have to maintain our standards and yes we can make some progress and climb the table but equally if we don’t get results, everyone else is playing games we could find ourselves in going in the opposite direction.
“We are pleased with how we have gone on over the last few weeks but our feet are firmly on the ground.”
Avenue were bottom of the table seven days. Now they sit fourth bottom and only two goals separate them and Boston United who occupy the spot above the relegation zone.
Solitary goal victories against Hereford last Saturday and then Blyth Spartans in midweek have changed the dynamics and shed the struggling tag.
“I think (I would describe us as) improving,” Bower said.
“People in football talk a lot about the fine margins and the performances against Curzon and Hereford were probably not too dissimilar to how we played against the likes of Kidderminster and King’s Lynn earlier in the season.
“Those moments in games we managed to turn in our favour.
“When you win games it breeds confidence and I think we are starting to get better.
“We have changed formation on numerous occasions but we have across one that just suits the personnel we have in the squad better than others we have tried.
“That will change as the season goes as you can get injuries and suspensions.
“At the minute we have found ourselves in a decent place and we’re steadily improving.
“Some of the young players who have come in have started to kick on and we certainly think we can keep improving and maintain this form so we can climb the table even more.
“We knew we needed to start picking up points because we were getting cut adrift a little bit.
“We have had a good couple of weeks and it has got us back involved in and around some of the teams people expect us to be competing with.
“It gives us a bit of confidence and a base to build on but it will change a lot over the next few weeks as there’s so many fixtures coming up.”
The hero in the Hereford and Blyth wins was striker Jacob Blyth.
Blyth ended his long wait for his first goal for Avenue by converting the late penalty against Hereford.
He followed it up by scoring early at Blyth and Bower was pleased for his forward.
“It has been good for him,” he said.
“His performances on a whole have been good.
“The lads in the dressing room respect what he has done and I think he does a lot of unseen work.
“He gets hold on the ball and he’s a good target for us.
“He gives us a different dimension to what we have had in recent years.
“It takes away one part of our game but adds to others.
“Strikers thrive on scoring goals and you saw him get a goal late-on against Hereford and within ten minutes of the Blyth he got another.
“He made some great movement in the box to find some space and he was in the right place when he finished off a good ball into him from Tom Angell.
“At every level of the game you’ll see strikers go a number of games without scoring.
“When they break that duck they can go on a run and score a few in a short space of time.
“Hopefully he can maintain that form.”
Bower had a two week break between their victory over Curzon Ashton in early October and the defeat of Hereford.
The Avenue chief had hoped to use the period to strengthen his squad.
Ultimately nothing materialised and Bower explained why.
“Everyone is looking at this spell of games where there is so many and clubs are reluctance to let lads out,” he said.
“There are a couple of Championship clubs (I’ve spoken to) and they’re looking to loan players out when it is the break for the World Cup so they’re holding fire for now.
“I had that conversation yesterday where the World Cup may help us at National North level!
“It has been difficult and I do feel we have some good players so anyone we bring in has to improve the team and squad.
“Finding that is not as easy as some might think.
“We’re still working on it and potentially in the next week or two there may be one-or-two coming in but as stands we are going into this weekend with what we have got.”