BRADFORD (Park Avenue's) assistant interim manager Lee Fowler is relieved that hard work on the training ground is paying off, as a previously porous defence kept two clean sheets over the Bank Holiday Weekend.

A 0-0 draw at home to Blyth Spartans and a fine 1-0 win at Darlington netted them four points and moved them out of the National League North relegation zone.

They will be hoping for another solid performance when they take on surprise strugglers AFC Telford United tomorrow.

Fowler said: "It actually goes back to the 1-1 draw with Gateshead if you take out the individual errors at Alfreton Town, where we conceded from a penalty, two backpasses and an own goal.

"It's been a desperately tough week, especially in that heat, but we were well worth the points against Blyth and Darlington.

"We've been working with the back four or five and the midfielders in training, just ensuring that the team work hard, and riding their luck if they have to.

"Blyth only created one or two chances on Saturday and although Darlington were a bit unlucky hitting the post twice on Monday, we could have gone two or three goals up before that."

Teenage midfielder Jaheim Headley, on loan from Huddersfield Town's academy, netted the winner in the North East.

Speaking about the 17-year-old, Fowler enthused: "He was actually injured in pre-season and when I spoke to Jon Worthington (Huddersfield's Under 17s coach) late last week, he asked what our plans were with him.

"Marcus (Law, Avenue's interim manager) and I felt he'd be better off at Huddersfield's academy on Saturday, but he played 45 minutes and scored. He was feeling confident so we put him in at Darlington and he did well. We have high hopes for him."

Looking ahead to the Telford clash, Fowler said he was wary of what the Midlands outfit were capable of, despite them only winning two of their first seven league games.

He said: "Gavin (Cowan, Telford's manager) is a mate of mine and he's a good coach.

"They've not got many goals so far, but I've watched them twice recently and they'll be dangerous and a real threat once he gets them up and firing."

Fowler is pleased to be going into the Telford clash with virtually no injury concerns, although he admitted that one of their more experienced players, 29-year-old goalkeeper Rhys Taylor, had had some fitness issues.

He said: "Rhys has been struggling with his calf over the last couple of games but he should be fine for the weekend. He was our man of the match in the last two games so we have to manage him carefully.

"Other than that, everyone is pretty much fully fit."