Park Avenue have the perfect opportunity to return to winning ways on Saturday when they visit pointless Durham City.

The Horsfall side’s run of nine straight wins was ended by a 4-2 defeat at North Ferriby United but they still have a three-point cushion at the summit and have played fewer games than the two clubs directly below them.

And the trip to the UniBond Premier Division basement side, who have lost every one of their 25 league games so far, is the ideal opportunity to further enhance their claims on the title.

The north-east outfit lost their main backer before the season kicked off and, in light of Kings Lynn’s demise, must at least be applauded for fulfilling their fixture commitments.

Despite their whipping boys tag, they will not be taken lightly by Avenue boss John Deacey.

He said: “Durham will not wish to be the first club to end a season at this level pointless. We’ve had a few injuries and a small squad of players, so we need to nurse them through.

“I heard that Ferriby had lost last Saturday (to Kendal) and commented that it’s a funny game and you take nothing for granted.

“People have been asking what it’s like for us to be top of the division and I have been saying unless it’s after the last game of the season, it counts for nothing.

“There are a lot of games still left to play and every club is likely to drop points.

“What we have to do is keep taking things a game at a time. It’s only when you start thinking about a match further down the line that your problems start.”

Avenue’s rivals Guiseley gained ground on them in the promotion race with a mid-week victory over Whitby Town and they look to continue in the same vein at Buxton on Saturday.

Having slipped down the table because of their runs in the FA Trophy and the West Riding County Cup – on top of postponements due to the weather – Steve Kittrick’s men have returned to the top five.

He said: “I thought we played very well to get the win at home because Whitby Town are a good side.

“Now we are back in the frame, we have to keep pecking away but there will be no predictions because the league is so tight this season.”

Buxton are 15th but Kittrick added: “We know that not many teams go there and come away with something, so we will have to be as sharp and focused as we were against Whitby.

“Reedy and Clive (Buxton’s management team of John Reed and former Guiseley player/coach Clive Freeman) are a shrewd pairing. They will have their side well organised.

“Really, it’s about what we do. We have to approach it with the right attitude and keep working as hard as we have over the last couple of weeks.”

Guiseley have no fresh injuries.