The management staff have been trying to bolster the squad at Bradford Park Avenue since the close season but they will have to redouble their efforts after two first-team regulars left this week.

Right back Nathan Kamara, nephew of former Leeds United and Bradford City defender Chris, and Jeremy Illingworth have both quit the club.

Landing Illingworth had been seen as something of a coup as the midfielder was captain of Guiseley last season.

Two wins on the trot took Avenue briefly to joint top of the UniBond Division One table in midweek and boss Phil Sharpe can name an unchanged squad for tomorrow's trip to Chorley.

But Sharpe remains disappointed by the decisions of the two players.

"They both left before last Saturday's 3-1 win over Cammell Laird and then on Monday we beat Bridlington Town 2-0, so it's not all gloom and doom," he said.

"We managed over those two fixtures without Nathan and Jez and we will get by without them in the future.

"Nathan said the travelling from his home near York was a factor and he was struggling to get here for training.

"The situation with Jez is even more difficult as he runs a family business and his wife is expecting.

"He told me he wanted time out of the game. It is a massive commitment at this level and you need to be able to dedicate a lot of time to your football.

"We wished them both well and thanked them for their honesty and openness; they are both cracking players.

"But it is always a big loss when players of their ability leave a club as they take some replacing.

"It wouldn't have been so bad but we let Paddy Mumbly go on loan and Craig Smith followed him through the door. Those two could have had a big part to play if they had stayed."

Sharpe is determined to make Avenue successful and hopefully, with assistant Clive Freeman, lead them back to the UniBond Premier Division in their first full season in charge.

They have made a very good start and Sharpe said: "We were level on points with leaders Eastwood Town after Monday and we just have to keep putting pressure on clubs around us in the table.

"If we can win tomorrow we'll be doing well, taking care of business, making sure everything is in our own hands.

"We have played some good football recently and defended very well. The only disappointment is that we haven't scored as many goals as we should have."

With that in mind the gaffer will be glad that on-loan striker Lee Morris is back in contention for the Chorley game. He took a heavy knock to his back against the Lairds and missed the win over Brid.

Bradford PA (from): Skiba, Jefferies, Grayston, Lee, Robinson, Connor, Shaw, Cooke, Redfearn, Morris, Ross, Flynn, Greaves, Tuck, Shuttleworth, Chattoe.