Due to snow fall overnight today’s game against AFC Telford has been postponed due to a frozen pitch.

Once a new date is arranged it will be published on the website and social media.

Bradford Park Avenue vs. AFC Telford United – Match Preview Sat 17th March 15.00 KO

Avenue will be looking to bring an end to a winless run that stretched to five games after last week’s draw with Alfreton Town. Mark Bower, however, will be optimistic after describing the draw with the Reds as the least that his side deserved.

AFC Telford find themselves in the midst of an even sticker patch, after Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat to Southport meant that The Bucks have picked up just two wins from their last twelve league outings.

Rob Edwards’ are currently languishing in the relegation zone, level on points with 21st-placed Gainsborough Trinity but 21 points clear of rock-bottom North Ferriby United.

GUIDE TO OUR OPPONENTS:

The Gaffer:

Rob Edwards

 Shropshire-born Edwards is currently cutting his teeth in full-time senior management with the Bucks after a spell in charge of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ under-18 side and a brief stint as interim manager of the first-team. He hung up his boots aged 30 after a successful career earnt the centre-back 15 caps for the Wales national team. He began his career with Aston Villa before making the switch to Molineux in 2004 after loan spells with Crystal Palace and Derby County. The former defender spent four years with Wolves before signing for Blackpool where he tasted Premier League football following the Tangerines’ promotion in 2010. Edwards was part of a promotion-winning side the following season, helping Norwich City reach the promised land after joining on loan in March 2011. Barnsley swooped to sign Edwards following his release from Bloomfield Road, but he found first-team opportunities limited and spent time on loan at Fleetwood Town and Shrewsbury Town in 2013 before retiring.

Key Players:

 Ellis Deeney

 The brother of Watford striker Troy joined the Bucks in January, making the switch from league rivals Tamworth. The combative midfielder has already faced Avenue on two occasions this season after starring in Tamworth’s 4-3 win at the Horsfall Stadium in December and featuring in the Lambs’ defeat to Mark Bower’s side on the opening day of the season. He boasts vast experience of the division thanks to his time as captain of Worcester City, who he joined following spells with Kettering Town and Hinckley. Deeney, who can also operate in defence, captained Aston Villa’s under-18s before dropping into non-league football.

 Amari Morgan-Smith

 Tricky winger Amari Morgan-Smith joined the Bucks in February after spending the first half of the season with York City. In one of his final appearances for the Minstermen, he doubled York’s lead against Avenue during our defeat at Bootham Crescent back in January. A product of Crewe Alexandra’s academy, he established himself as a promising talent at Ilkeston Town and helped them achieve promotion to the Conference North in 2009. He trained with Championship side Derby County during his time with Ilkeston as a reward for a string of impressive displays and eventually left the club in 2010 to join Luton Town. He continued to impress at Kenilworth Road, earning a trial with Doncaster Rovers in 2012 despite concerns over his fitness that led to his departure from the Hatters. Morgan-Smith continued to establish himself as one of the most exciting talents in non-league football and represented Macclesfield Town and Kidderminster Harrier before sealing a move to League One after agreeing a deal with Oldham Athletic. He returned to the National League with Cheltenham Town in 2015 and helped them earn promotion to League Two but returned to non-league football when he joined York on loan in January 2017. He featured in the Minstermen’s FA Trophy final victory over his former club Macclesfield and signed a permanent deal with the club in June 2017.

The action will kick-off at 3pm on Saturday but will only go ahead if the Horsfall pitch passes a pitch inspection that has been scheduled for 9:30am.

Admission prices:

 

Adults – £10

Concessions – £7

Students – £5

Under-18s – £2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Due to the adverse weather conditions. There will be a pitch inspection at 09.30am at the Horsfall Stadium in the morning

We will keep you updated here: & our social media.

Gaffers preview: Bradford Park Avenue V Telford United. Sat 17th March 2018 15.00 KO

We welcome Rob Edwards and everybody connected with Telford on Saturday. Given the tight nature of the league this season with Telford currently in the bottom three, a couple of good results from their games in hand could see them up in mid table.

They have had a big turnover in players during the season so far, so the team that we beat impressively in the reverse fixture back in August will be much changed. But given our recent games against Salford and North Ferriby, we know that current league positions mean little. If we can play in the manner we did against Alfreton last week, we give ourselves a good chance of winning the game.

Enjoy the match

Mark

The club are running a supporters coach to FC United of Manchester Saturday 24th March 2018 and Chorley Monday 2nd April 2018, with seats costing £12 for adults and £8 for under 18’s.

Only a few seats are remaining on each bus so to book your seat please see Neil Fawcett at the Supporters Information Desk on match day or call him on 07811 959003

Last Saturday’s home game against Alfreton must have been a great game for the neutral with two teams playing an old fashioned 442 and having a really good go at each other. For us however it was a frustrating afternoon and two points dropped after creating more than enough chances to win comfortably. We certainly didn’t have much luck in the game, but we need to be more clinical with the chances we’re creating to get ourselves winning games again.

I felt particularly sorry for Ed Hall, who came back in to the team and conceded three goals despite doing little wrong. He made two smart saves in the first half, but had no chance with their two long range first half goals. In the second half only a deflected free kick could beat him and it summed up the way it has been going for us recently. With Steven Drench likely to be out for a few weeks with a hamstring injury, Ed has the opportunity to keep his shirt after waiting patiently for his chance in the team.

There have been a lot of postponements in our league in recent weeks and credit must go to our ground staff and volunteers who have not only got games on, but got the pitch in decent condition. Many clubs with much greater resources than us have pitches that are looking a real mess at the moment and this has led to several postponements.

Bring on Saturday

Mark

Bradford Park Avenue’s home match against Stockport County will be strictly all-ticket.

The decision has been taken to make the match fully segregated and all ticket, with the well-backed visitors arriving at Horsfall Stadium on Friday 30th March.

Avenue fans will have their first opportunity to purchase tickets at the forthcoming home game against AFC Telford. Supporters will be able to purchase tickets from the Supporters’ Information desk in the Clubhouse.

Our visitors have been handed an initial allocation of 1,000.

Ticket prices for the match are fixed at the regular £10 adults, £7 concessions, £5 students and £2 under-18s. Season Ticket holders will gain entry to the match as usual, without the need to purchase or collect a ticket prior to the match.

With full segregation in place, Avenue fans will only be able to enter the ground on the day of the match via the Cemetery Road turnstiles. There will be no access to the Park Road car park for home fans, as that is where visiting Stockport supporters will be directed to.

A separate burger van and additional portable toilets will be located at the Park Road end of the ground, where away fans will be housed. However there will be no beer tent and no alcohol will be sold at the away end of the ground on the day.

Home supporters will, as usual, have access to the clubhouse and in-house cafe, and will be able to view the match from the main stand, one half of the pavilion side, and the stand behind the goal.

Fans are, however, asked to arrive at the ground early to avoid queues, and take up their position in plenty of time with seating especially limited.

 

Lee Knight’s loan deal with Halesowen Town has been extended until the end of the season.

Having been released by League One side Oldham Athletic at the end of last season, young forward Lee joined Avenue after impressing on trial with Mark Bower’s men.

There is currently no planned pitch inspection and as it stands the pitch is playable. However the situation will be monitored throughout the morning and so long as there is no further rain the game should be on.