THERE will be a spring in the step of players and fans alike at the Horsfall Stadium on Saturday after Bradford Park Avenue lifted themselves off the foot of the Vanarama National North table in midweek.

However, there will be an edge to the game as they host Stalybridge Celtic because it was at the expense of the Tameside club that Bradford are off the bottom.

The Celts, who have Avenue forward Liam Dickinson on an initial one-month loan deal, had no game in midweek so have a game in hand.

Avenue manager Mark Bower said: “It was nice for everyone involved with the club to get that first win of the season, and it had been coming.

“We have deserved it before and we definitely deserved to win last Saturday but you don’t always get the rub of the green in this game.

"It has lifted everyone and we hope to build on it but we have to remain focused.”

Former Bantams skipper Bower knows that Stalybridge will be like a wounded animal, and that will make them doubly determined with both clubs in a perilous situation as they battle against relegation.

“This game is another chance to pick up three points but it won’t just come because they are now bottom,” added Bower.

“They will be looking at the game the same way as we are and thinking that it’s a great opportunity to get three points off a team in and around them in the table.

“They will have earmarked this game as one that they can win, and they now have the extra incentive of knowing that if they do win they won’t be bottom of the table any more.

“We have to make sure we approach this one in the same way as we did on Tuesday night, and we know it would make such a massive difference if we do win it.

"All of the players came through the midweek game but there were a few bumps and knocks.

“A few of them will be touch and go but everyone knows just how big this game is and they will want to be involved so they’ll be declaring themselves fit, I have no doubt about that.”