PREECE’S KEEPING IT REAL!
ANDY PREECE doesn’t want his Chorley side to forget how good their season has been to this point – and urged them to use that belief at Brackley Town.
Preece’s Magpies, who finished fourth in the National League North, squeezed past Curzon Ashton on penalties on Wednesday night.
Keeper Matty Urwin saved two spot-kicks to help his side progress.
And after the quick turnaround from the final day to Wednesday, Preece has enjoyed reflecting ahead of their trip to Northamptonshire this afternoon.
“It’s great because it’s given us a bit of time to digest it and realise how well you’ve done,” Preece told The NLP. “It gets pretty real now and it’s exciting.
“Finishing fourth in the National League North, for us, is a massive achievement in itself.
“It doesn’t get you promoted but this is the third best season in the club’s history. We have to reflect on that and understand what an achievement that is on its own.
“Then you’ve got the clubs we’re in and amongst – full-time clubs, clubs who have been in the Championship, League One, League Two, and we’ve managed to have our third best season ever. When you look at that, it’s unreal what we’ve achieved.
“That’s something you don’t want to lose sight of and something you want to carry into the play-offs. It shows what a good side we are. We’re more than capable of doing something in these play-offs.”
Not that Preece needs telling how tough it is to come out on top with the nip and tuck nature of the play-offs.
“It’s going to be difficult,” he added. “At this stage of the season, the games are probably not going to be as good.
“It just changes a bit but your mindset has to be strong and you have to take that belief. Which we have. That’s probably why we got through on Wednesday.
“We weren’t good. Curzon played well and they deserve credit. Probably that’s the reason we didn’t play as well as we could.
“There weren’t a lot of chances but we defended well and when we got to penalties, all our pens were really good and Matty has been superb in the net.” Preece is pleased to have that first win under their belt ahead of facing a Brackley side who have walked the play-off path before. “We’ve been going up against Brackley for the last few weeks in terms of trying to secure that third place,” Preece said. “When you consider they’ve got 30 points out of 36 to do us by two points it just shows what an incredible run they’ve been on because – we lost a couple – our run is not far off theirs.
“They’ve got a good home record. They’ve got loads of strengths and little or no weaknesses. They are a good all-round side.
“We know when all our lads are playing to their max we can win. But it’s a tough game.”