BRADFORD Park Avenue have 13 matches left of their Vanarama National League North season to force their way into the play-offs.

They have had some thumping wins, with scorelines such as 5-0 (home) and 3-0 (away) over Gainsborough Trinity, 4-0 against Southport, 4-1 against AFC Telford United and Blyth Spartans and 3-0 against FC United of Manchester.

However, Mark Bower’s side have also had seven draws and have lost a hefty seven matches by a single goal, while only winning four by that same margin.

Avenue are currently one place outside the play-offs, and Bower admitted: “The key for the rest of the season will be about winning those tight games.

“If we don’t win enough of them, we won’t get into the play-offs.”

After their 1-0 defeat at home to Darlington last weekend, Avenue’s next task is against another north-eastern club with a trip to fifth-placed Blyth Spartans.

Bower recognises that his division and the one above are now more attractive to teams from that neck of the woods.

He said: “With Darlington, York City, Spennymoor Town and Blyth Spartans in our division now and the chance that Hartlepool United might come down, I don’t think that travel is the issue for north-eastern clubs that it might have been in the past.

“I also think that the Vanarama National League is as weak as it has been for a while and there are some big games in our division, and more scouts come to watch our division than they used to and there is therefore the chance for players to progress.”

Avenue face a Blyth side who are full of confidence after successive 3-0 wins over Brackley Town and Tamworth.

“That always seems to happen to us that we play sides who have just had big wins,” said a rueful Bower.

They may well be without winger Wayne Brooksby tomorrow as he suffered an ankle injury against Darlington.

"He was the victim of a bad tackle that wasn't picked up," said Bower.