BRADFORD Park Avenue have an opportunity to send out a strong message to their doubters and relegation rivals on Saturday by climbing out of the Vanarama National North drop zone.

The last time Avenue hovered above the bottom three was the first week of September, long before current Avenue boss Mark Bower arrived.

Bower’s men earned a well-deserved three points with a win at mid-table Curzon Ashton last weekend, and that means they are just two points below the safety mark as they host managerless Gainsborough Trinity.

The Lincolnshire outfit are four points better off than Avenue but their manager Dominic Roma tendered his resignation after their 2-0 defeat to fellow strugglers Alfreton Town – which came just after Trinity won 3-1 at promotion-chasing Harrogate Town.

Bower said: “Saturday's game is massive because it will make such a big difference to both team’s seasons.

“We have said that we need to put back-to-back wins together if we’re to climb out of the bottom three, and this is an opportunity to do that.

" Gainsborough are one of a few clubs down at the lower end that have no manager or have changed over the last couple of weeks.

“Worcester, Alfreton and Gainsborough have no managers and Stalybridge Celtic – the club just below us – have just appointed a new one.

"It just shows how much being in this league means to clubs and how far they are prepared to go to preserve their place.”

Bower is wary of the lift that Gainsborough could find while playing under a caretaker boss, but he also knows that Avenue need to capitalise on home advantage in what could be a pivotal game.

The Avenue boss is also aware of the other key game. AFC Telford, the club immediately above Avenue, are at leaders AFC Fylde.

But Bower is more focused on his players, adding: “Gainsborough have no manager but they also have no pressure. They can go out and play to impress the caretaker boss or the new manager, who may or may not be in the stands.

“It will be different for them than recent games but it’ll be two sides of 11 that go out to play. Anyone can win, and it’ll be the same for Telford at Fylde.

“People will always look at a game and say who will get the three points, but they’re often wrong because you never know in football.”

Defender Matt Hill made a successful return from a calf injury at Curzon but forward Nicky Boshell picked up an ankle injury.

Bower says Boshell will miss this weekend's game but centre back Shane Killock has trained all week and is in line to return to the squad.