Chorley boss Andy ​Preece backs strike ace Taylor to take his game to next level

​The 24-year-old marked his competitive debut for the Magpies last weekend with a superb equaliser against Chester in the opening game of the season.

Ultimately, the strike would be in a losing cause as the Seals struck late on to secure a 2-1 win at Victory Park.

While disappointed that his men slipped to defeat, Preece was excited by the performance of Taylor.

The bustling forward scored 46 goals last season for AFC Liverpool in the North West Counties League and was signed by Burscough in the summer.

However, he spent just a month with the Linnets before Preece enticed him to Victory Park.

"The striker department is one area that we can’t compete with other teams financially,” Preece revealed.

"It’s really difficult – anybody we want is way out of our league so that means we have to be patient, we have to look around.

"We have to look for those players a little bit under the radar and Elliot falls into that category.

"We have taken on a players who has come from level six (in the football pyramid), he is someone who scored 40-odd goals last season.

"My feeling is if you can score goals, you can score goals at the next level up and it’s a case of how far does that ceiling go.

"The goal (against Chester) he’s done it out of nothing. I think two or three times he fought to get the ball back.

"The strike from the angle that he’s hit it – I doubt there was a better goal all weekend.”

This weekend, Chorley arguably face the toughest task in the division as they head to pre-season title favourites South Shields.

The Mariners finished second last season and enjoyed 2-0 and 4-1 victories over the Magpies in the league and FA Cup respectively last season at Shaftesbury Avenue.

"It’s a tough game but once you get on that pitch, it’s 11 versus 11 and lost of things can happen,” Preece added.

"I back my players – I think I have got really good players, but I expect them to be challenging for the league.”

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