BRADFORD Park Avenue go into their final Vanarama Conference North fixture of the season at home to Worcester City in high spirits after lifting the West Riding County Cup at Valley Parade in midweek.

Avenue will have fond memories of taking on the Blue and Whites as their 1-0 win at Worcester's rented home, Kidderminster Harriers' Aggborough, kick-started their resurgence.

John Deacey's men were second from bottom with just five wins from 22 starts at that point, while Carl Heeney's side were a buoyant 12th in the table.

Avenue suffered eight consecutive postponements after that and then lost heavily to promotion-chasing Boston United. But the victory over City had given them heart and Deacey picked up the manager of the month award for February after a terrific run.

Top scorer Chib Chilaka, who hit the decisive goal at Worcester and was also the match-winner on Wednesday, may be ploughing a lone furrow but he is Deacey's star man.

The Avenue boss said: "The new signings have been good and helped us to secure our place in the Conference League since the turn of the year. But for me, Chib has been absolutely tremendous right through the season.

"He has led the line so well and scored goals; important goals. This has certainly been his best season in Avenue colours and he's done it as a lone striker, which is always more difficult."

While 16th-placed Avenue have three games remaining, tomorrow is Worcester's penultimate fixture and they are ten points outside the play-off zone.

They would reach 60 points with a win at Horsfall this weekend but even a draw for the home side would see them break the 50-point barrier, so both sides have motivation despite the season being in the final furlong.

Worcester are looking to bounce back from a midweek home defeat to Gloucester City, which saw the Tigers leap above Avenue on goal difference as Deacey's men lost 1-0 at home to high-flying AFC Fylde.

That will be another motivating factor for Avenue as they have a game in hand on both Gloucester and Gainsborough Trinity, who are also on the same points.