BRADFORD Park Avenue will have new signing Aidan Chippendale in their squad for tomorrow's game at Harrogate Town – and manager Mark Bower is also hoping to welcome another new player.

The National North fixture is the second of back-to-back derby games between the two clubs after they met in the West Riding FA County Cup on Tuesday.

Avenue won that clash, also at Wetherby Road, 3-1 but Bower knows this weekend's meeting will be a different prospect.

"They played a side with a majority of lads from their Academy side with just a few first-teamers in there," said the Horsfall chief.

"There was nothing to be gained from a technical point of view from that win but what it did was give our players a game on their 3G pitch.

"The players have had a run-out on it now and familiarised themselves with it as the bounce and the run of the ball is a little bit different on any pitch."

Simon Weaver's hosts spent the early part of the season in the thick of the promotion-chasing pack but they have tumbled to tenth after a poor run.

Town are currently eight points outside the play-off places but gained their first win in four league games last time out. Avenue also won their last league fixture and that sees them in the relegation zone on goal difference only.

Ten places separate the sides and Harrogate are looking to complete a league double after winning the reverse fixture 3-2 back in August.

Bower feels that Harrogate are a much better side than their current position suggests and said: "Form-wise they had a bit of a bad run up until Christmas but they are a good club with a fine squad.

"They've got massive resources and a squad brimming with talent. They've had a few injuries but they're still in the top ten and I know from experience that any club in the top half can go on a run, so their recent form is not a true guide.

"But we have a chance of lifting ourselves out of the bottom three and we've brought Aidan in from Stalybridge Celtic and I hope to have another forward player signed in time for him to be involved tomorrow."

Bradford-born Chippendale is a 24-year-old winger who came through the Bantams' youth system before being released and joining neighbours Huddersfield, where he stayed until 2012. He joined Stalybridge in 2014.