Match Preview provided by Charlie Elliott
Bradford (Park Avenue) travel to the Yorkshire Payments Stadium this Saturday to take on relegation-threatened Brighouse Town in a 3pm kick-off, with both sides desperate for points—but for very different reasons.
With just four games remaining in the Northern Premier League East Division, Avenue currently sit 10th. While a late push could take them as high as 8th, there’s little left to play for in terms of league position. However, for the players, these final fixtures are far from meaningless. Manager Craig Elliott is already looking ahead to a serious promotion push in the 2025/26 season, and these games present a final opportunity for individuals to stake their claim for a place in next year’s squad.
For Brighouse Town, the situation is much more urgent. They are 18th in the table, just one point clear of the drop zone, with Ossett United hot on their heels. The bottom half of the table is incredibly tight—only six points separate 19th and 11th—meaning every result could make or break a season. Brighouse will be fighting for their lives, and Avenue can expect a spirited performance.
Avenue come into the fixture following a 1-1 draw against Sherwood Colliery. Jordan Preston scored in the 30th minute—his second in three games—but the hosts were pegged back by a penalty converted by Carter Widdowson. Despite the result, Avenue showed encouraging signs and will be keen to build on their performance, turning chances into goals as the season winds down.
Brighouse, meanwhile, have taken four points from their last three outings, including a damaging 4-1 defeat to Sherwood Colliery. In-form forwards Danny Edwards and Rhys Plater have each scored twice in that time and will be ones to watch this weekend.
When the two sides met at the Horsfall back in August, the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Niah Payne opened the scoring for Brighouse in the 31st minute, before Dan Francis equalised just before the hour mark. A lot has changed since that encounter, but with Brighouse battling to stay in the division and Avenue players pushing to secure their futures, this weekend’s match promises to be a competitive affair.
Admission at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium is as follows:
Adults £10, Concessions £7, 12–16yrs £2, Under-12s Free.
Make the trip and support the lads. Your backing means everything.
