A HUGE game beckons for Bradford Park Avenue tomorrow after the Bank Holiday weekend was unkind to them.

Martin Drury’s men face a crunch game after dropping to the foot of the Vanarama National League North table.

Bradford picked up one point from the two games over the weekend, while tomorrow's visitors AFC Telford United banked their first win of the campaign which saw them leapfrog hosts Avenue.

Things appeared to be picking up for Drury’s Bradford when they ended a run of three consecutive defeats with a 4-4 home draw last Saturday against mid-table North Ferriby United, helped by a hat-tick for last season’s top scorer Chib Chilaka.

However, just two days later, Avenue let a 1-0 half-time lead slip as they went down 2-1 in a derby at Harrogate Town.

Avenue have not won yet this term after seven fixtures, and the only other club in the division yet to bank a maximum are Curzon Ashton.

New boys Curzon may be winless but they are outside the relegation zone, immediately above Telford, who are third from bottom but have the momentum.

Before the Bank Holiday weekend, the Bucks were rock bottom with just one win from five games.

It was at that point that former Guiseley manager Steve Kittrick left the club by mutual consent.

Telford turned to their former management duo Rob Smith and Larry Chambers, who had had over four successful years in charge (February 2006 to the end of the 2009-10 season).

Under Smith and his assistant Chambers, Telford were promoted to the Conference League and reached two play-off finals and an FA Trophy semi-final, where they lost to York City.

Smith brought two players in – left back Darren Campion from Worcester City and former Stoke City midfielder Lucas Dawson from Nuneaton Town – before his first game back in charge.

That was last Saturday at mid-table Gloucester City and, although it ended with a narrow defeat, expectation levels had risen.

They have the momentum going into tomorrow now following their 2-0 home win over Brackley Town on Monday.

Smith has not let the grass grow under his feet as he has added a third signing (defender Curtis Tilt) in time for him to be in the squad to face Avenue.

The Bucks may have won only once this term and scored only three goals but they have a miserly defence as they have conceded just nine in seven games.

It all points to a tense afternoon at Horsfall Stadium tomorrow as neither side will want to lose but, in truth, both sides desperately need to win.