Preece says Chorley are on a run of season’s toughest away trips
Chorley boss Andy Preece says his side could be in the middle of their toughest run of fixtures this season – even though it's still only August!
The Magpies head to Oxford City this weekend, then go to Brackley Town on Tuesday night – two of the most difficult away assignments in National League North, in the manager's view.
And that comes on the back of losing at home to Scarborough last midweek, drawing at Scunthorpe on Saturday and beating Southport 4-1 on bank holiday Monday.
Preece told Chorley FC TV: “We're playing Saturday, Monday, Saturday, Tuesday – so we get a little bit less rest before the game, but then we get a little bit longer rest after the game, but then we have to go to Oxford away on the Saturday and then we have to go away to Brackley.
“It's probably our toughest little spell of the season in away trips. We probably had it worse last season because we had two or three of those (spells), but this is probably our worst one looking at the calendar, so that's going to be difficult.
“Oxford – away – a team that got relegated last year, so they're going to be a real tough team to go away to, and then we know all about Brackley and how tough it is to go there.
“I think I looked at our first 10 or 12 games – they looked really, really tough; a lot of full-time teams, a lot of difficult away trips and a lot of the teams that were going to be in and around it. If you look at the league table before today we play first, second and seventh in four games.
“So it's tough, it's difficult, every game's so tough in this league so every win is vital and every win you need to enjoy.”
Preece certainly enjoyed Monday's victory over the Sandgrounders at Victory Park.
He said: “I was really pleased. The first two home games have been disappointing in the results, so when you come into a local derby that matters a lot to the fans, and you've had those couple of iffy results, there's always a little bit of pressure on you.
“We knew Southport were a good side and they've started the season really well.
“We got the early goal and although they were dangerous on the odd occasion, we looked threatening going the other way and that was a pleasing thing.”