Preece tells Chorley stars: Keep calm and carry on picking up points

​The Magpies are in fifth place following a goalless home draw with Marine, but are only a point better off than Curzon Ashton, who lie outside the play-off places in eighth spot.

Preece takes his side to the Tarmac Silverlands Stadium today expecting a difficult afternoon on an artificial pitch. After today, they have only Monday’s home game against Radcliffe and next Saturday’s trip to Rushall – on another 3G surface – to maintain their play-off push.

He told Chorley FC TV: “Another tough game, another tough ask and to have our last three (away) games on 3G, that’s difficult because it is a big advantage for the home team.

“But we’ve shown that we managed to go to Scarborough this year and get a result where we haven’t been able to previously.

“They’ve done well, Buxton, they’ve gone full time, although they probably didn’t expect to get promoted this year but they would have expected to be up and around it, and they’ve done really well.

“And again, it’s credit to us that we’re in there with them and with the teams that are all around us. And I’ll keep saying that; we’re doing unbelievably well to be in amongst these teams.

“It’s going to be a big one – another of those six-pointers and we’ll have to be at our very, very best there. But even though it’s a huge game, nothing will be decided (this) week.

“So we’ve got to keep going and keep collecting points like we have, you know, five unbeaten now at a critical point in the season and we’ll go again and get prepared for a real tough test at Buxton.”