​Magpies must stay ahead of the play-off chasing pack in National League North

​The Magpies have been clinging on to the final play-off place in the National League North by the skin of their teeth.

Defeats to Boston United and Spennymoor Town loosened their grip on seventh spot with the chasing pack below closing the gap.

There was a real prospect that the Magpies could have slipped out of the top seven, for the first time in a number of weeks, if they had failed to pick up maximum points at home to Hereford on Tuesday night.

The Bulls themselves have an outside chance of finishing in the play-offs but it was Preece’s men who emerged victorious at Victory Park courtesy of two goals just after half-time from Jon Ustabasi and Connor Hall.

After a three-match unbeaten run, Preece admitted it was a huge relief to see his men get back to winning ways.

"It was a test of character coming home to play Hereford,” said Preece. “I said when we played them at their place that they will be in the play-offs and they would have been very close to being so if they had beaten us.

"They are a very good side and showed that in the first half. They looked so dangerous on the counter but second half, we just turned it up a little bit."

Preece will be keen to see his men turn it up a little bit more when they travel to Kettering Town this weekend.

The Poppies find themselves down in 18th spot in the table and in a relegation scrap, but they have shown that they are capable of troubling teams particularly at home. Only in the past month or so, they have held leaders AFC Fylde at Latimer Park and beaten fourth-placed Brackley Town.

"We are right bang in there with nine games of the season left to go,” he said.

"We have probably got one of the toughest trips to go to Kettering on Saturday. That is a tough place to go and get a result.”

Preece revealed long-term injury casualties Matt Challoner and Will Tomlinson – who are both out with respective ankle injuries – were due to have injections this week which will hopefully speed up their recovery.

Meanwhile, Fylde will be looking to stay ahead of King’s Lynn Town at the top when they face play-off contenders Darlington at Mill Farm. Southport are without a game.