THREE consecutive league victories have propelled Bradford Park Avenue back into the National North play-off places ahead of tomorrow's trip to Alfreton Town.

Avenue head to the Impact Arena to take on a side that ended a four-game losing run in the league with a 2-1 win at AFC Telford United.

But both sides exited the FA Trophy against lower-ranked sides, Mark Bower's men losing in a replay at Stourbridge while Alfreton were beaten by promotion rivals Altrincham.

The Avenue boss said: "Whenever you've suffered a defeat, or even a bad performance, you've got to take what you can from it and move on.

"It's football and as much as we all love it, it can slap you in the face. We got what we deserved from the two games against Stourbridge.

"We never controlled a long enough spell in either game to start to make possession pay and put pressure on the opposition.

"We've spoken about it and now we'll see how the players react to those games. You are always looking to learn from games and then to implement what you've learned.

"Just as you can't get carried away with a few wins, you shouldn't over-react to a bad performance or two.

"We've got to go back to the things that got us three good wins in the league and do what we did in those games. We're seventh at the moment and if the season ended tomorrow with us still there, in the play-offs with a chance, it would be a positive but there's a long way to go yet."

Alfreton have a healthy budget and brought players in during the close season in an attempt to regain their place at the top table.

They are currently in 15th spot, six points above Nuneaton Town, who are in the relegation places, but only six points behind Avenue.

Bower's men have a two-point cushion on the clubs below them and are on the same points as sixth-placed York City.

They should have a full squad apart from Ryan Toulson, who is still on the comeback trail from a foot injury.

Bower said: "The two games in three days didn't leave any lasting problems and the replay means that Danny Boshell has now served his three-game ban so he'll be available.

"Everyone else is fit and ready to go again, apart from Tully, but he's training and will be back soon."