BRADFORD Park Avenue play their penultimate match of the season tonight as Nuneaton Town visit Horsfall Stadium.

Boro, as the club formally known as Nuneaton Borough are still nicknamed, will be a dangerous animal.

Their tilt for a play-off finish in Vanarama National North was severely damaged by a defeat at fifth-placed Boston United at the weekend.

That came just a day after the Football Association rejected their appeal against a three-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player.

All of this leaves sixth-placed Nuneaton four points outside the play-off places but with a game in hand on former Avenue boss Martin Drury's new club Boston and fourth-placed Harrogate Town, who are a point further ahead.

If Kevin Wilson's side can win both of their remaining games, while either Boston or Harrogate lose their final fixture, then Boro will be in the end-of-season extras.

That may be a long shot as the Pilgrims are at home to already-relegated Hednesford Town on Saturday, while Simon Weaver's Town host another side who have lost their grip on National League status in basement boys Corby Town.

Avenue interim manager Darren Edmondson will be focusing on his own targets after challenging his current squad to stretch their four-game unbeaten run over the two remaining fixtures.

Yet it seems likely that Edmondson's side will have to do it without first-choice keeper Jon Stewart. Before Saturday's goalless draw at Hednesford, the Avenue manager said: "I don't think Jon will feature again before the end of this season.

"He is mobile but his back injury is still causing him some pain, so it just isn't worth the risk really. It's always difficult with part-time footballers because they have their day jobs and families to support.

"At this stage of the season, it is probably best – for any player, not just a semi-pro one – to have that couple of weeks' extra rest and then the whole of the close season to give their body time to recover."