Magpies pushing for a play-off position ahead of trip to derby rivals Southport

The Magpies’s start to the 2022/23 National League North season could be described as steady.

Impressively unbeaten at home over the first three months of the campaign, Preece’s men have won six and lost four of their opening 15 games.

Their record has seen them hover around midtable but Saturday’s excellent 4-3 win over Farsley Celtic saw them move into the top half of the table although midweek results elsewhere saw them drop to 13th.

The division is tight though and only three points separate the Magpies from AFC who occupy the final play-off position.

Indeed, Chorley are only nine points behind league leaders King’s Lynn Town.

"We have been good at Victory Park,” said Preece. “We’ve had a couple of draws which should have been wins but we are unbeaten at home going into November, so that is all positive.

"We need to build on that because we keep putting ourselves in this position of being in and around the play-offs and then we slip back.”

This weekend they travel to derby rivals Southport – a team who are just a point and a place above them in the table.

The Sandgrounders were surprisingly beaten 4-1 at the weekend by Buxton at Haig Avenue, but previous to that they had won their past three games in the league.

Liam Watson’s men have not struggled for goals this season but their defensive record is the worst in the top half of the division.

“Southport is one of the toughest places to go,” said Preece. “They got beaten on Saturday by Buxton but very rarely does that happen to them. I know there is going to be a reaction and I know Liam will get a reaction out of them.

"It’s a real tough place, we will have to roll our sleeves up. I have got a massive amount of respect for Liam.

"He is easily one of the best managers in this league and they are up there fighting. we will have to be at our best to get anything out of the game.”

Elsewhere, Fylde are in FA Cup first-round action when they entertain League Two outfit Gillingham at Mill Farm.