Magpies’ goals for column is a great source of pride for boss Andy Preece

​Only second-placed Scunthorpe United have scored more goals this season in the National League North.

Their scoring prowess is one of the major reasons why the Magpies find themselves in fourth spot in the table and on the cusp of guaranteeing themselves a play-off spot with six games of the normal campaign to go.

What is particularly pleasing for Preece is that they have managed to fill the gaping holes left by the departures of Connor Hall and Jon Ustabasi last summer.

Those two were a large source of goals for the team previously, but this year the goals have been shared around.

Carlton Ubaezuonu leads the scoring charts with 14, closely followed by Justin Johnson who has 13.

Jack Hazlehurst is one goal further back while midfielder Mike Calveley has nine goals to his name.

Defenders Mark Ellis and Harvey Smith have also made a number of goal contributions and while Jack Sampson’s tally of six would appear to be unproductive for a striker, he has selflessly led the line.

"We lost Connor and Bashi in the summer – they scored 35 goals last year,” said Preece, who prepares his team to face Darlington away this afternoon before Easter Monday’s clash against Blyth Spartans at Victory Park. “So that was going to be a big challenge for us.

"How were we going to replace that? You looked around and there wasn’t really and individual who was going to score that volume of goals.

"Sampo had had the odd season but there weren’t too many in the squad who had registered double figures.

"So we had to work out a way of scoring more goals and how we were going to play. We’ve probably let a few more in by being a bit more expansive, took more risks but it’s paid off.

“We’ve got three players on double figures, Calveley is on nine so it’s pleasing for me as a manager that we have managed to find a way.”