BRADFORD Park Avenue are desperately hoping tomorrow's fixture at Leamington gets the go-ahead as they look to get the better of their fellow Vanarama Conference North strugglers.

Avenue suffered yet another postponement on New Year's Day when their home game against Chorley was called off due to a waterlogged pitch. Other results that day meant John Deacey's side dropped to second bottom in the table.

But Leamington lost 3-1 at promotion-chasing Oxford City and Avenue would go level on points with the Brakes with an away win this weekend and still have two games in hand on their relegation rivals.

Thursday's call-off meant Johnny Lynch was unable to make his Avenue debut. The young defender, who was released by Wigan Athletic at the end of last season, has signed on a one-month loan deal from Southport. He was drafted in after George Smith was recalled by Barnsley.

Leamington were without a league win in November and December until they romped to a 4-0 victory over Oxford in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day. They had been in poor form before that, leading to manager Paul Holleran making changes.

Holleran added the experienced Simon Forsdick to his squad shortly before Christmas. The versatile 31-year-old, who is comfortable in defence or midfield, missed last season with a cruciate knee ligament injury but has been training with the Brakes for several weeks.

A couple of names the Avenue supporters will recognise will not be involved though as Holleran released defender Stuart Pierpoint and striker Stefan Moore earlier in December. Both those players have been central characters in recent clashes between the sides.

Avenue will be looking for a rare league double after a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture way back in August. Their 2-1 victory that day came courtesy of goals from Paul Walker and Scott Kerr, with Jordan Goddard netting Leamington's reply.

The fixture was the third during an unbeaten start to the campaign for Avenue, who had opened with a 3-3 draw at Gloucester City before home wins over Harrogate Town and then the Brakes.

Deacey had built on his squad following a tenth-placed finish the previous season but a dreadful catalogue of injuries then kicked in and neither of the scorers from that August win will feature in tomorrow's return.

Former Bantams midfielder Kerr has since left the club, while Walker is one of the long-term casualties.