Bradford Park Avenue face a tough test on Saturday to keep pace at the top ahead of their showdown with Curzon Ashton a week later.

The second-placed Horsfall Stadium outfit travel to ninth-placed Newcastle Blue Star, while leaders Curzon - two points clear - have an easier-looking game at home to fourth-from-bottom Bridlington Town.

Avenue boss Benny Phillips - who has snapped up former Halifax Town skipper Paul Stoneman from Brid - knows it will not be easy to maintain the status quo before the table-toppers visit Horsfall Stadium next Saturday.

"It could be a winner-takes-all clash next week but first we have to go to Newcastle and make sure we equal what Curzon do," he said.

"It will be a tough ask. Newcastle is a difficult place to go when you are looking for a result.

"The north-east is a place that historically produces players with passion, desire and commitment in bundles.

"You always know you will have a battle on your hands when you go up there and we know the club we are facing is no different.

"(Assistant) Wayne Porter has been along to watch them and he has compiled a dossier."

Phillips has signed Stone-man - who made 174 league appearances for the Shaymen - to bolster his options in the centre-back department.

He said: "Our season really started picking up when Matt Daly and Lincoln Adams came together in the middle of our defence.

"But Lincoln will not be available tomorrow. He came off after just ten minutes at Brigg with a knee injury.

"Matt is suspended so we have problems. Paul Collins has filled in and done well but with the best will in the world PC' is not a centre back."

The only other injury concern is striker Ben Jones, who picked up a knee injury last Saturday.

Last week's 3-2 defeat at UniBond Division One South counterparts Brigg Town in the President's Cup ended Avenue's 13-match unbeaten run. But they are still ten games without defeat in the league.

Avenue were due to have played Blue Star home and away either side of Christmas but both matches were postponed.