Margy confident ahead of Chorley clash

FC United manager Karl Marginson has urged his players to take advantage of their second crack at the Evo-Stik play-offs and he is in a confident mood ahead of the Reds’ trip to Chorley on Saturday.

The last couple of weeks of the regular season have seen some uncertainty as the team has stumbled towards the finishing line with three defeats, a draw and just one victory coming on the last day of the season.

Suspensions also had an effect, with Dean Stott and Michael Norton missing from the side, whilst Margy was banned from the touchlinde for two games. Despite the Easter wobble, Margy was delighted to see his men finish the season on a high with a very convincing 4-1 win over demoted Northwich Victoria last weekend.

United ended up finishing sixth, one place out of the play-off zone but we have been invited to compete by the League following the demotion of Northwich due to financial irregularities.

Margy said: “While the circumstances of our qualification for the promotion play-offs are not the way we would have chosen to make the last four, we have been presented with an opportunity that we need to grasp. The players are really excited at the prospect of a semi-final and looked really sharp and up for it in training this week.???

Margy is keen to point out that the team have already beaten Saturday’s opponents Chorley this season in knock-out competition so they should enter the play-off tie at Victory Park in confident mood.

He said: “I’ve said all along that this squad has it in them to play at a higher level and now we have the opportunity to prove it. We find ourselves just two games of football away from playing in the Conference North next season. What an achievement that would be to cap what’s already been an excellent season for us, both on and off the pitch.???

FC United should field a full strength side ahead of Saturday’s clash, with defender Adam Jones available for selection after missing the Northwich game through injury.

Having missed out on promotion last season, falling at the final play-off hurdle against Colwyn Bay, the Reds will be keen to go one better this time around by getting past their Lancashire neighbours. That would set up final against either Bradford Park Avenue or Hednesford Town, who both also failed in last season’s play-offs.