YORK City will come up against the National League North’s meanest away defence when Bradford Park Avenue visit Bootham Crescent tomorrow.

Seventh-placed Avenue have only conceded 11 goals on the road this term, which is one fewer than table-topping Salford City and five clean sheets have been kept during a dozen contests away from the Horsfall Stadium, where this weekend’s hosts won 5-0 back in August.

Such miserly form has helped the West Yorkshire part-timers claim 11 points from a possible 15 on their travels, with 1-1 draws at Curzon Ashton and Harrogate sandwiching victories against Southport (4-0), Alfreton (3-1) and North Ferriby (1-0).

Indeed, Mark Bower’s men have not lost an away league game since being beaten 2-1 at Darlington on October 21 and, if they avoid defeat against the Minstermen, will have racked up their longest unbeaten run on the road since October 2013 when they enjoyed a six-match sequence in the same division.

Aside from the team’s defensive efforts, Bradford also boast two attackers in double figures, who will be familiar in these parts.

Ex-Minstermen Oli Johnson (14) and Adam Boyes (12) have plundered 26 goals between them this term and are ever-presents in the team, with their efforts helping Avenue net in all of their last 17 National League North contests since a 0-0 draw with Stockport back on September 2.

Former centre-back Bower, who made 36 appearances for City and netted twice during loan spells from Bradford City at the turn of the century, will also benefit from the experience of another Bootham Crescent old boy Nicky Wroe in midfield.

Wroe will captain the visitors, but 28-year-old centre-back Shane Killock could be absent again after missing his first game of the season during last weekend’s 2-1 home defeat to Spennymoor after picking up a back injury on New Year’s Day.

Otherwise, Bower has a fully-fit squad to choose from and, if Killock remains unavailable, the versatile Adam Nowakowski will continue to deputise in the heart of defence.

Midfielder Nicky Clee is also pressing for a start after coming off the bench and scoring Avenue’s consolation against Spennymoor.

The away team will go into the match one point and one place ahead of the Minstermen in the final play-off spot, but have played a game more.