BRADFORD Park Avenue have had a fortnight to prepare for Saturday's Vanarama National North home game but they couldn’t have stiffer opposition for their return to action.

Avenue host a Brackley Town side that are flying high in the table, despite having played five consecutive cup games.

Brackley are eighth, five points outside the play-off places, but they have three games in hand on all of the clubs in the top six.

Avenue boss Mark Bower said: “They are bang on form and beat Gillingham in the FA Cup and, by all accounts, should have got something against Blackpool in the next round.

“They have also done well in the FA Trophy and are still going strong after their replay win the other night.

"That was a real eye opener as they beat Fylde 4-0. When we played Kidderminster, I thought they were the best side we’ve seen this season but from the reports I’m getting back regarding Brackley, they are every bit as good so it’s going to be a tough afternoon.”

Brackley, nicknamed the Saints because they play at St James Park, beat League One Gillingham in a televised replay, so their strengths have had a wide audience. They lost to Blackpool in the next round by the odd goal.

Their victory over AFC Fylde made people sit up and take notice as Fylde are setting the pace in National North and are the only side in the division to have lost fewer games than the Saints.

Bower has had his scouts watching the Northampton outfit in other games and has been getting information about them through his widespread contacts in the game.

He said: “We’ve run the rule over Brackley and we know just how good they are and the form they are in.

"We knew they were capable of a result like Tuesday’s and we know that they’re probably in a false position in the league because of their successes in the cups.

“If they keep their players fit and confident then the results will just keep coming and they will certainly be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

"They are capable of gaining promotion but we’ve had four wins in our last six games and our lads are enjoying their football and are ready to go after sitting it out last Saturday.”

There could be a home debut for Jack Dyche, the young forward that Bower signed on loan for the rest of the season from League One outfit Scunthorpe United on Wednesday.

The rest of Bower’s squad are injury free.