BRADFORD Park Avenue are stepping into the unknown when they head to the Silverlands to take on Buxton in the FA Trophy tomorrow, and they will have to do it without skipper Simon Ainge and midfielder Luke Dean.

The Bucks play their football a division below Bradford and are mid-table in the Evo-Stik Premier Division after 17 games.

Avenue are also 17 games into their league season and, after a huge confidence boost with a win at Gloucester City on Tuesday, they are also mid-table in National League North.

Bradford boss Martin Drury said: “I’m familiar with the management team at Buxton – I’ve known them for a number of years – but I haven’t seen their current side play at all.

“However, I do know we’ll be facing a very difficult game. They have always been in the mix in that league and have been challenging for promotion for the last three seasons at least.

“Buxton is not an easy place to go to in terms of travel and the strength of their side at home.

“Unfortunately, we have to go there without Simon or Luke, and that adds to the problems we’ll face.

"It will be a tough enough cup tie without having your skipper, who is your leader, and an influential midfielder missing.

“Simon is possibly two weeks away – I think he’ll be back running again in training next week – but Luke is going to be out a while longer as he has a damaged cartilage.

"He’s been out three or four weeks now and we expect he’ll be out as long again.”

This is Avenue’s first involvement in the FA Trophy this season. Buxton, on the other hand, romped to a 5-1 home win over Evo-Stik Division One North outfit Radcliffe Borough in the last round.

Drury added: “We had a good win after a long and arduous trip in the league on Tuesday, so we’ll be in very good spirits.

"Winning at Gloucester was no mean feat after travelling a long way on a cold winter night.

"It was down to the lads, as their application and attitude was magnificent, and also down to our supporters who backed the club all the way and made themselves heard.”