GUISELEY and Bradford Park Avenue face testing starts to the new season following yesterday's release of the National League fixtures.

Adam Lockwood's Lions kick off their top-flight campaign on Saturday, August 5 with a home encounter against Ebbsfleet United at Nethermoor, with their opening away clash at Gateshead the following Tuesday evening.

The traditional festive double-header will see Guiseley visit Chester on Boxing Day with the return fixture on New Year's Day.

Lockwood's men head to Boreham Wood on Saturday, April 28 for their season's finale.

There are also trips to five new grounds for the travelling Lions fans, including Leyton Orient, Hartlepool, AFC Fylde, Maidenhead United and Ebbsfleet United.

Avenue, meanwhile, will start their National North season with a trip to Tamworth's Lamb Ground on Saturday, August 5.

The first home game for Mark Bower's men will be against newly-relegated Southport on Monday, August 7, before Avenue welcome York City the following Saturday.

Three of Bradford's first four matches are against league newcomers in fact, as a trip to promoted Spennymoor Town follows on Tuesday, August 15.

Boxing Day sees the visit of Curzon Ashton to the Horsfall Stadium, with the return trip to Tameside coming on New Year’s Day.

Bradford once again finish the season with a long trip to Kidderminster Harriers, with the last home game seeing Harrogate Town make the short journey across Yorkshire.

FIXTURES 2017-18

GUISELEY

August 5: EBBSFLEET UNITED H; August 8: Gateshead A; August 12: Aldershot Town A; August 15: TRANMERE ROVERS H; August 19: TORQUAY UNITED H; August 26: FC Halifax Town A; August 28: HARTLEPOOL UNITED H.

September 2: Leyton Orient A; September 9: EASTLEIGH H; September 12: Barrow A; September 16: Wrexham A; September 23: DOVER ATHLETIC H; September 30: Maidenhead United A.

October 3: MACCLESFIELD TOWN H; October 7: Maidstone United A; October 14: FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round; October 21: SOLIHULL MOORS H; October 24: BOREHAM WOOD H; October 28: Woking A.

November 4: FA Cup Round One; November 11: BROMLEY H; November 18: Dagenham and Redbridge A; November 21: AFC Fylde A; November 25: SUTTON UNITED H.

December 2: GATESHEAD H; December 9: Ebbsfleet United A; December 16: FA Trophy Round One; December 23: ALDERSHOT TOWN H; December 26: Chester A; December 30: Tranmere Rovers A.

January 1: CHESTER H; January 6: Eastleigh A; January 13: FA Trophy Round Two; January 20: BARROW H; January 27: Dover Athletic A.

February 3: WREXHAM H; February 10: Macclesfield Town A; February 17: MAIDENHEAD UNITED H; February 20: AFC FYLDE H; February 24: Sutton United A.

March 3: DAGENHAM AND REDBRIDGE H; March 10: Bromley A; March 17: FC HALIFAX TOWN H; March 24: Torquay United A; March 30: LEYTON ORIENT H.

April 2: Hartlepool United A; April 7: MAIDSTONE UNITED H; April 14: Solihull Moors A; April 21: WOKING H; April 28: Boreham Wood A.

BRADFORD PARK AVENUE

August 5: Tamworth A; August 7: SOUTHPORT H; August 12: YORK CITY H; August 15: Spennymoor Town A; August 19: FC UNITED OF MANCHESTER H; August 26: AFC Telford United A; August 28: CHORLEY H.

September 2: Stockport County A; September 5: Gainsborough Trinity A; September 9: NUNEATON TOWN H; September 11: BOSTON UNITED H; September 16: FA Cup Second Qualifying Round; September 23: Leamington A; September 30: FA Cup Third Qualifying Round.

October 7: KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS H; October 14: Harrogate Town A; October 21: Darlington A; October 28: SALFORD CITY H.

November 4: BLYTH SPARTANS H; November 11: North Ferriby United A; November 18: BRACKLEY TOWN H; November 25: FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round.

December 2: Alfreton Town A; December 9: TAMWORTH H; December 16: FA Trophy First Round; December 23: Southport A; December 26: CURZON ASHTON H.

January 1: Curzon Ashton A; January 6: SPENNYMOOR TOWN H; January 13: York City A; January 20: GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY H; January 27: Nuneaton Town A.

February 3: Salford City A; February 10: DARLINGTON H; February 17: Blyth Spartans A; February 24: NORTH FERRIBY UNITED H.

March 3: Brackley Town A; March 10: ALFRETON TOWN H; March 17: AFC TELFORD UNITED H; March 24: FC United of Manchester A; March 31: STOCKPORT COUNTY H.

April 2: Chorley A; April 7: LEAMINGTON H; April 14: Boston United A; April 21: HARROGATE TOWN H; April 28: Kidderminster Harriers A.