League football returns to the Horsfall Stadium tonight as Avenue aim for their first home win in the UniBond since November.

A sizeable crowd is expected for what will be their first league encounter of 2003, albeit without keeper Lutz Pfannenstiel.

Tonight's game, which is free, is a replay of the Boxing Day game that was abandoned when the German's life was in danger before the intervention of physio Ray Killick.

But with Pfannenstiel flying off to New Zealand this week, it is Jamie Holmshaw who will appear in the nets against a promoted Harrogate side who were outplayed before the 29th minute abandonment last time around.

Avenue were leading 2-1 at the time, with the Harrogate goal coming only after the keeper had stopped breathing.

There will be at least five changes from the side that were embarrassed by Ossett in the cup last week, with home debuts for Andrew Wright and Simon Collins as well as the reappearance of Andy Hayward after suspension.

Anthony Bingham, however, will miss out after picking up a groin problem in the first half of last week's 5-4 UniBond Cup defeat.

Although Avenue dominated proceedings when the match was first played in December, the enforced break is taking its toll on the Bradford players.

They struggled defensively against Ossett last week, conceding five goals against below average opposition, and there was also a lack of shape in a Monday night run out against the reserves.

"It might be three weeks before we get back to where we were," said manager Trevor Storton.

"We have only played once in four weeks but more importantly we have hardly been able to get a ball out.

"It is like pre-season without the training. The lads need to get back into their football and there has been a loss of positional sense as was showed last week.

"We need to buck our ideas up but it is hard without regular games."

Although Avenue had no real problems going forward last week in their only match of 2003 so far, they did struggle defensively. Storton gave his back four a roasting after the game and will be expecting an improved performance this time around.

"They will need to improve on last week," he added.

"It just depends on how hard they want to work to get things right. They simply weren't good enough last week and I expect more. They can do better than that and it is up to them to get better this time around."

Storton is still looking to bring in a couple more defenders with a loan swoop for a pacey centre half from another UniBond club currently being held up by an injury crisis.