BRADFORD Park Avenue and visitors Leamington will be glad to be side-tracked from league football as they go head to head in the FA Trophy third qualifying round at Horsfall Stadium tomorrow.

Both clubs are struggling in the lower reaches of the Vanarama Conference North table, with Avenue just above the drop zone.

The Trophy draw has not been kind. Clubs from this level only enter the competition at the current stage and most will be facing sides from lower competitions – but Avenue must host a league rival.

The Brakes have added young keeper Connal Trueman to their ranks and he is in line to make his debut.

Trueman has signed on loan from Birmingham City until January 3 but was unavailable for their midweek game.

Leamington go into tomorrow's tie on the back of a confidence-boosting win in a knockout competition, with Paul Holleran's men beating Redditch United 4-2 in the Birmingham Senior Cup second round on Tuesday.

Avenue have had a free midweek but boss John Deacey will still be without several players, although his side have already won the league meeting between the clubs at Horsfall 2-1 thanks to goals from Paul Walker and Scott Kerr.

Neither of those players will be available tomorrow, with Walker injured and Kerr having left to sign for rivals Stalybridge Celtic.

Outgoing finance director Kevin Hainsworth underlined the problems the manager has faced this year when he announced his intention to leave the board.

"John only had 15 players available to him for last week's game at Brackley Town and he is likely to be hampered again this week," said Hainsworth.

"Walker is one of the many injuries John has had to contend with. Paul has been working in Peterborough and all the driving that entails has not done his back any good.

"Scott has left for one of our league rivals to get regular football – it's so hard at this level.

"It has been very difficult for John. He has had it really tough this year. Martin Drury was a big loss in such a specialised position at left back.

"We thought Adam Clayton would have his operation in the summer but that was off because of complications. And we thought Nathan Turner was going to be a superstar but now he has got a very serious injury.

"He could have to finish his career, like Martin. Nathan sees the specialist soon and he will know then. We have lost him and been without Nathan Hotte and Adam – and they are all versatile players.

"We need a change of luck from somewhere and maybe me leaving the board of directors will freshen things up. Any change is a change and I hope it helps turn the club's fortunes around."