Following the postponement of the Salford City game on Saturday, both clubs have agreed for the match to be rearranged for Tuesday 20th February 2018 with a 19:45 kick off.

Mark Bower’s depleted squad received a huge boost ahead of Monday’s clash in the shape of two loan signings.

The Avenue boss raided two of his former clubs to secure the signatures of Bradford City’s Dan Pybus and Guiseley’s Frank Mulhern on Friday, and both are available for the meeting with Gainsborough.

Experienced midfielder Danny Boshell will miss out through suspension following his dismissal against Nuneaton Town, and winger Wayne Brooksby’s hamstring troubles are likely to sideline him once again. Defender Mark Ross is also a doubt having limped out of the 2-1 defeat to York City back in mid-January.

French wideman Antoine Remi Recizac wasn’t involved against Nuneaton but could potentially be named in the squad for Monday alongside fellow recruit Adam Smith, who made his debut at the LDJ Solicitors Stadium from the substitutes bench. Smith will be lining up against familiar faces should he be involved on Monday, having made an appearance for Trinity in early January in a 4-0 defeat to Blyth Spartans. Former Leeds United forward Mulhern and ex-England youth international Pybus are just two of four players hoping to appear at the Horsfall for Avenue for the first time, with neither Recizac nor Smith having represented the club at home since joining.

Trinity were scheduled to travel to Curzon Ashton on Saturday but, similarly to Avenue, saw their fixture fall victim to adverse weather conditions.

The previous week had been a fruitful one for Dave Frecklington’s side, as their form picked up and saw them claim six points from home games against Alfreton Town and Chorley.

Prior to the victories, however, Trinity had lost three consecutive games without scoring a solitary goal.

Avenue’s January form wasn’t much better, as a tough run of fixtures led to the enduring of a winless month. Despite this, the Yorkshire side remain nine points clear of Monday’s opponents and find themselves eighth in the National League North. Trinity are hovering dangerously above the relegation zone and are 19^th.

Tickets for Monday night’s game are priced at just £10 for adults, £7 for concessions, £5 for students and £2 for under-18s. Don’t miss out on what is sure to be a thoroughly entertaining affair at the Horsfall Stadium.

Bradford Park Avenue V Gainsborough 5 Feb 2018 19.45 KO

Following a pitch inspection this morning the game against Salford City has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Guiseley striker Frank Mulhern has joined Bradford Park Avenue on a 3 month loan.

Capped by the Republic of Ireland at Under-18 and Under-19 level, Mulhern started his career in the Huddersfield Town Academy when he joined at Under 9 level in August 2005. After nearly 4 years with Huddersfield Town he departed for Leeds United in May 2009. He subsequently turned professional with the Elland Road club in the summer of 2015 following a two-year scholarship. However he was released and re-joined Huddersfield Town’s Under-23 Development Squad in February 2016, before joining Guiseley at the start of the current season. Mulhern has also had brief loan spells with Southport and Alfreton.

Frank will be available to go straight in to the team for the Salford City game on Saturday, subject to FA approval.

Mark Bower has secured the services of young midfielder Dan Pybus from neighbours Bradford City on an initial one month loan.

The attack-minded player started his career at Sunderland where he was part of their Under 23 and Under 18 squads. Playing predominately as a central or attacking midfielder, Pybus netted an impressive 15 goals in 23 games for Sunderland’s youth team in the 2015/2016 campaign. After a spell on loan at Derby County he joined Bradford City in March 2017. Since joining Bradford City he has made two 1^st team appearances and has been a regular in their Development Squad. Pybus has also been capped at Under-16 level for England.

Pybus will be no stranger to the Horsfall Stadium or Bradford Park Avenue, having played in the Tom Banks Memorial pre-season friendly at the start of the current season.

Dan will be available to go straight in to the team for the Salford City game on Saturday, subject to FA approval.

Avenue will be targeting a scalp over league leaders Salford City after enduring a winless January.

Mark Bower’s side haven’t tasted victory since Boxing Day, when a late rally saw off Curzon Ashton and fans were treated to a sublime solo effort from Wayne Brooksby.

Brooksby’s hamstring troubles mean he is unlikely to feature against the table-toppers, and Mark Ross is also a doubt having missed out on last week’s draw against Nuneaton Town. New signings Antoine Remi Recizac and Adam Smith, however, could be in line to feature with the latter having made his Avenue debut in last week’s goalless draw. Goalkeeper Ed Hall is available after featuring for Yorkshire last Sunday.

A positive result for Avenue on Saturday could provide a favour for Yorkshire rivals Harrogate Town, who still trail Salford by four points despite their title rivals slipping up against Brackley Town last week.

Prior to the Brackley defeat, Salford had won three consecutive league games, with former Barnsley marksman Mike Phenix notching in two of the three victories.

Goalkeeper Max Crocombe was the centre of controversy in Salford’s last meeting with Avenue, and he is likely to start having not missed a game since mid-November.

Salford’s squad has been bolstered since their visit to the Horsfall last October, with midfielders Tom Walker and Nick Haughton penning deals with the club in January. Walker joined from National League North rivals FC United of Manchester, and Haughton returns for his third stint with Salford having enjoyed two loan spells at the club whilst on the books of Fleetwood Town. 

Salford City V Bradford Park Avenue – Saturday 3rd February 15.00 KO

I was pleased in the end to take a point from the game at Nuneaton last weekend. When you’re down to 10 men, away from home, against a team in good form, you’ve got to be happy with a clean sheet. Whilst it was not the perfect defensive performance, there was plenty of effort and desire in the team to keep our clean sheet, especially after the red card and after conceding some poor goals recently. It was frustrating however that we were unable to create more in the game as we had plenty ball in the final third but our final pass or decision let us down on too many occasions.

We have a big weekend coming up with games on Saturday and Monday. We visit Salford on Saturday who sit top of the league. They have a good mix of quality, physical strength and ‘know how’ and as we enter in to the business end of the season where the pitches are difficult to play good football on, they have all the tools to go on and finish the season as champions. They have shown their quality at times this season with some big wins, but they’ve also come out on top in many tight games to win by the odd goal as we found out in the reverse fixture at Horsfall. They have strength in depth and can call on some excellent players not only in their starting 11, but off the bench also. They’re clearly on the rise and with the investment they’ve made in their squad and stadium, they don’t intend hanging around in our division for too long, but I’m confident that if we produce what we are capable of, we can go there and get a positive result.

Adam Smith joined us last week. He’s similar to one or two we already have in our squad who have suffered from injuries over the past few years which has restricted his game time, but if we can get him match fit, he can have a big part to play for the rest of the season.

Cheers

Mark

Avenue’s Ed Hall shines on international stage.

Avenue goalkeeper Ed Hall completed 90 minutes for Yorkshire’s newly-formed side as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Ellan Vannin of the Isle of Man.

Ed received the call-up alongside Brighouse Town’s George Clarke, but it was the Avenue stopper that earned a place in the starting line-up for Yorkshire’s first ever international fixture.

The game was an entertaining affair, and it was certainly a busy day at the office for both goalkeepers.

Ed made a string of impressive saves to keep the score level in the first-half, making two particularly stunning stops to deny Dan Bell and Ciaran McNulty.

Yorkshire fell behind to a Furo Davies strike just three minutes after the restart, but Penistone Church’s Jordan Coduri levelled proceedings six minutes later.

Ellan Vannin had chances to notch the winner in the game’s latter stages, but Ed proved impossible to beat as he denied Rhys Oates and Joey Quayle.

The game finished 1-1, and Ed will be hoping that his fantastic display sees him receive the nod ahead of Yorkshire’s next fixture.

He will link back up with Mark Bower’s squad this week and is available to feature on Saturday when we visit high-flying Salford City.

Congratulations, Ed!