Beleaguered Magpies in need of a Trophy tonic against Worksop Town
Chorley boss Andy Preece will take any kind of victory this afternoon as his side host Worksop Town in the FA Trophy at Victory Park.
The Magpies are in the midst of a wretched run of results which has seen them fail to win in any of their previous nine games in all competitions.
Eight of those fixtures have come in the National League North with Chorley picking up just a measly three points to slip from third in the table to 13th.
Preece admits he has never known a more barren spell since he became manager in 2022 – and indeed when he was the assistant to previous boss Jamie Vermiglio – barring the season they were relegated from the National League.
Certainly the Magpies have not enjoyed the best of luck in terms of injuries and departures, with George Horbury and Kole Hall long-term absentees, while key first teamers Craig Hewitt and Luke Summerfield left for pastures new last week.
Preece has also seen defender George Pratt recalled from his loan spell by Blackburn Rovers, while attackers Lucas Weaver and Taelor O’Kane have also gone back to their parent clubs Altrincham and AFC Fylde respectively.
The loss of Weaver and O’Kane will be particularly felt as they were instrumental as the Magpies ended a run of three successive defeats last weekend when they drew 2-2 at high-flying Radcliffe.
"These things seem to happen more and more when you’re in a poor run of results,” said Preece. “To lose Lucas especially after he scored two goals last Saturday is a big blow.
"It was probably one of our best performances in a while, and on the back of not being able to extend Taelor’s deal as well, it’s just the way things happen sometimes.
"It’s just another thing sent to test you a little bit, test your resolve.”
Chorley were more like themselves on Saturday as they earned a well deserved point at Stainton Park.
Even then, they conceded a penalty and had to rely on a stoppage time goal from Weaver to earn them a point.
Preece is hoping their performance at the weekend will turn the tide in terms of their fortunes.
"There's no point in over-analysing things, you just hope that Saturday was that little turn in fortunes for us,” he said.
The Trophy is an important competition for the club and Preece is eager to progress to the third round.
The final is held at Wembley with fellow National League North outfit Spennymoor Town won through to the showpiece match last season, albeit they lost 3-0 to Aldershot Town.
"We want to win – we want to win a game,” Preece said.
"It’s an important game for us. We want to try to progress through the competition because it’s a genuine chance of getting to a final.
"Spennymoor got there last season and Hereford a couple of years ago.
"There is regularly a club from the National League North or South who get to the final.”