Don't use the s-word says Deacey as Avenue bid to finish season with a bang

John Deacey’s men have steadily climbed the table since their enforced mid-winter break due to weather and pitch problems at their home ground. Avenue took themselves to the brink of safety with a 3-1 win at basement outfit Hyde on Easter Monday, and they fell over the line on Tuesday night without kicking a ball.

Struggling Brackley Town's failure to win at mid-table Worcester City meant that the teams currently in the relegation zone cannot catch Avenue, who secured their place in next season’s newly-branded Vanarama National North with five league games of this term remaining.

Bradford boss Deacey said: “Don’t tell the players we are safe. I’ve been trying to keep it from them since Tuesday – some of them can count so I’ve told them that four clubs go down from this division!”

The manager is keen to ensure his players don’t ease off but he feels there is no possibility of that given the significance of their last six games - starting on Saturday against the promotion-chasing Lions, who lost 2-0 at home to relegation-threatened Stalybridge Celtic on Monday.

He said, “Mark (Lions boss Bower) will be wanting to bounce back as soon as possible. I’ve looked at their run-in and, on paper, it’s the hardest of the clubs in the play-off positions.

“I think Guiseley’s saving grace is that they have the points in the bag. They have done really well and have a game in hand on the two clubs nearest to them, and I think they have enough in the locker. I hope they end in the top five but I hope they lose on Saturday.

“They will be up for it against us and they will want some revenge, which is good for the crowd and both teams.

For us? We have got to keep it going because we have five league games that all count and a cup final, so a lot is resting on this last couple of weeks.”

Avenue won the reverse fixture 2-1 at Nethermoor, with skipper Simon Ainge, a former Lion, on the scoresheet.