National League North play-offs fate is in Chorley’s hands

On a day when many of the promotion protagonists played each other, the Magpies were facing the very real prospect of slipping out of the top seven altogether.

​As it is, although they slipped a place from fifth to sixth in the table, their battling 0-0 draw against the Linnets at the Walks Stadium could prove vital in the final reckoning.

The result ensured the hosts remained in eighth spot, two points behind Preece’s men.

And with seventh-placed Hereford and ninth-placed Buxton drawing at home with title-chasers Kidderminster and fourth-placed Chester respectively, it means the Magpies’ play-off hopes remain in their hands with four games to go.

The biggest winners of the weekend were Curzon Ashton, who leapfrogged above Chorley after their 1-0 victory over Warrington Town.

With only a handful of games left to play, just four points separate the clubs from fifth to ninth and the race to secure a play-off spot is likely to go right down to the wire.

"I was really pleased to get the point,” Preece told ChorleyFCTV, who prepares his team to face Marine at Victory Park this weekend.

"Coming to King’s Lynn who have been going well – it’s a very tough place to come here and get anything.

"They have beaten Kidderminster 4-0 here so it was always going to be tough with difficult conditions.

"You know that you’re going to have to dig in at times and be brave, put bodies on the line, be organised and we did all that.

"Obviously when you’re playing teams around you, they are big games and you don’t want to be losing.

"It (the table) is sort of how it was – a couple of teams won but most teams have drawn so with four to go, we are still in a good position.”