The sparks will be flying on Saturday as the Evo-Stik League top two go head to head at Horsfall Stadium.

Bradford Park Avenue had topped the Premier Division pile for almost a fortnight but Northwich Victoria leapfrogged them in midweek with a 2-0 home win over Kendal Town.

That was Northwich’s game in hand so they visit Bradford tomorrow with both clubs having played ten games and being separated by just two points.

Following their promising start to the season, the Avenue board have tied manager John Deacey to Horsfall on a two-year contract.

This comes just days after his side cut loose in their first FA Cup excursion this term by hammering Harrogate Railway Athletic 8-0.

Avenue owner and chief executive officer Bob Blackburn said: “We have got John on a two-year deal now and we think that had to be done.

“There were four clubs chasing him over the last couple of weeks and one of them was a full-time professional club.

“He turned them all down point blank because he says his heart is here and he loves everything about Park Avenue.

“He was pleased to sign the contract because he hopes a public show of how happy he is at the club will put a stop to the unwanted phone calls and make his life easier.”

Avenue have been involved in the last two play-off campaigns – pipped by Guiseley and Colwyn Bay in their quest for promotion to Blue Square Bet North – but on both occasions they came up on the rails.

When they finished as runners-up, the year Guiseley went up, they had started under Lee Sinnott with Deacey as assistant. Last season Deacey returned to turn the club’s fortunes once again following the resignation of Simon Collins.

With Deacey in the hot-seat right from the start of the current campaign, Blackburn was moved to claim “this is our year” in pre-season.

As always the bullish CEO had his detractors but he said this week: “We are delighted with the way the season has started, although I can’t say we didn’t expect it.

“The full merit for our great start goes to John and his staff and we are hoping we can get something sorted out for (assistant boss) Mark Hume as well.

“When the pair of them approached us after Simon Collins had left, we thought they were an unusual partnership. But they have shown that they are top-drawer and we want to keep them together.”

* Farsley AFC travel to Clitheroe in Evo-Stik League Division One North on Saturday.

Neil Parsley’s men consolidated sixth place by bouncing back from their second defeat of the season with a 5-0 home win over Ossett Albion last weekend.

Left back Ryan Serrant picked up a knee injury in that game so misses the trip to third-bottom Lancashire outfit Clitheroe.