Basement boys' visit is a '˜horrible' one for Matt

Chorley boss Matt Jansen has labelled his team's home match against relegation certainties North Ferriby United as '˜one of those horrible games to play'.
Chorley boss Matt JansenChorley boss Matt Jansen
Chorley boss Matt Jansen

The Villagers arrive at Victory Park firmly rooted at the bottom of the National League North, having won just one game all campaign.

They are 18 points behind second-bottom Gainsborough Trinity and have lost their last seven league games, including last weekend’s 5-1 drubbing at home to Boston United.

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The Magpies, currently in ninth spot in the table, will be confident of victory in front of their own supporters and making up ground on the teams in the play-offs.

However, Jansen is taking nothing for granted and views Saturday’s encounter as a ‘potential banana skin’.

“Games like these are horrible ones to play,” said Jansen.

“It is a potential banana skin, but we have got to be right for it and we’ll treat it as though we are playing the leaders Salford or Harrogate or any of the top teams.

“We played them earlier in the season and won 2-0 and we had them watched last 
Saturday. They are struggling, but any team in this league is capable of beating anyone on their day.

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“If we are not at it then North Ferriby are capable of beating us.”

Since the memorable 3-0 victory over Salford over the festive period, Chorley have won just once in six matches.

They have only beaten Curzon Ashton in 2018, and were held to a 2-2 draw by Darlington last weekend.

Jansen believes his men have nothing to worry about though as they have only lost twice – to Southport and Harrogate Town – over the same period and have generally been playing well.

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He said: “If we had been losing every game and 
playing poorly then I would say, ‘Yes, we are in a sticky spell’.

“But we are not doing that. We should have beaten Southport at home and should have beaten them away, even though we ended up losing 3-0 – on the balance of play we were the better team.

“Harrogate scored a fluke goal when we were again the better team.

“The way we have been playing has been great so I have no worries. One or two good results will push right into the play-off mix.”

The Magpies will be without forward Marcus Carver, who was red carded last weekend against the Quakers.

Captain Andy Teague is expected to be fit despite suffering from the effects of flu this week.