BRADFORD Park Avenue's 100 per cent start to pre-season was brought to an end at Farsley Celtic last weekend but Avenue fans will be hoping for a return to winning ways as their team take on Altrincham back at Horsfall Stadium tomorrow.

Avenue have played just one home friendly to date and that resulted in a 3-0 victory over local rivals Bradford City.

Mark Bower's men end their warm-up games with a second home fixture as last season's Vanarama National North rivals Altrincham make the short trip over the Pennines.

The game was originally scheduled for the Robins' own Moss Lane ground but the clubs agreed to switch venues.

Phil Parkinson was appointed Alti manager last April with just one game of the season remaining and their relegation to the Evo-Stik League already confirmed.

The new Robins boss has enjoyed a positive pre-season as he begins his first full season at the helm. They lost to Avenue's National North counterparts Stockport but beat National League outfit Chester before losing at home against Wrexham in midweek.

Altrincham have enjoyed victories against sides on the same step and below and have two friendlies remaining after tomorrow.

The Evo-Stik League kicks off a week after the National League – so while Avenue are working towards real competitive action a week tomorrow, Altrincham's season begins on August 12.

Avenue had six trialists in a 19-man squad that drew 0-0 against Farsley at Throstle Nest last Saturday but Bower knows decisions now need to be made.

He said: "There won't be as many trialists involved in this game. I think that it's time to make our minds up one way or the other.

"The Altrincham game is our last friendly and then we've got a week to work with the players before the season starts.

"We need to step things up now and get the squad settled quickly. We've stepped things up on the pitch and that's why a few more of the players got the full 90 minutes at Farsley.

"We've got a few players missing because of holidays for the next week or so and they needed to be better prepared than the lads we're still working with.

"They can go away now and they are dedicated enough to look after themselves while they're away and come back ready for some really important games in August."

Semi-professional football has many drawbacks and one is that players with children of school age have to arrange annual holidays around term times and the schools only closed for the summer last week.