PREVIEW: King's Lynn Town (a)
The Magpies head down to Norfolk this Saturday...
CHORLEY make the long cross-country journey to King’s Lynn Town this weekend and will hope to carry the momentum from Tuesday night’s emphatic 5-2 victory over Darlington with them.
The Magpies clinically dispatched the struggling Quakers at the Grant Store Victory Park Stadium, returning to winning ways after the disappointing defeat on the road at Oxford City.
Sitting in 11th position now, Andy Preece’s side are likely to face a tougher test against a Linnets team who are just one point behind them.
Last Time Out
Returning home to face Steve Watson’s Darlington, Preece made four changes from the Oxford City showing but it was the ever-present Elliot Taylor up front who opened the scoring early in the 8th minute.
The 24-year-old met Callum Rowe’s left-footed cross with a glancing header that left goalkeeper Bobby Jones rooted to the spot for his fourth goal of the season.
Pressure continued to be piled on the Quakers’ sorry defence and after efforts from Jack Hazlehurst and Taylor came close to doubling the lead, Warren Clarke was the man to do so four minutes before half-time.
The left-winger unleashed a leaping header to fire Max Wilson’ cross home and it was almost added to two minutes later but Hazlehurst’s penalty kick was saved by Jones.
However, that did not put him down and in the third minutes of first-half stoppage time, Hazlehurst displayed great footwork on the edge of the box to make a chance for himself and proceeded to volley spectacularly into the top-left corner.
The visitors were afforded no respite after the break and it was Hazlehurst again who made it 4-0 in the 55th minute, finishing excellently across goal after Jack Moore’s quick free-kick down the side of Darlington’s defence.
After Wilson nearly got in on the action, unfortunately hitting the post, the away side attempted to mount a comeback with two quickfire goals through Aidan Rutledge in the 75th and 80th minutes, but thankfully for the hosts they were just consolation goals.
And the night was made even better with three minutes to go when the returning Jack Sampson added his name to the scoresheet, pouncing on a defensive mistake to slot the ball past Jones and completed a five-star showing from the Magpies.
The win takes them up to 11 points from eight games, just three points outside the play-offs.
Opposition Focus
Paul Caddis’ King’s Lynn Town side will be hoping for a win on home soil on Saturday, which would be just their second of the season.
The Linnets have only beaten Scarborough Athletic at the Docherty Walks Stadium this campaign, but they have also picked up victories on the road at Brackley Town and Darlington, which sees them sitting nicely in 15th place early on.
After narrowly surviving relegation last season on goal difference, Caddis will want to see his side progress up the table and so far they have been led well by new signing Jesse Nwabueze, whose four goals put him as the club’s top-scorer.
The 22-year-old forward signed from Aveley in the summer and has netted in their last three games, including a late penalty in Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat at home to Hednesford Town.
A busy summer saw them bid farewell to goalkeeper Aaron Chapman, defenders Festus Arthur and Bailey Clements, midfielder Jack Lambert and strikers Michael Gyasi and Jack Marriott, to name a few.
To replace them, they have brought in former Fulham and Portsmouth midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe, full-backs Zak Mills and Aaron Jones, midfielder Harley Hamilton from Hereford and forward Kwame Thomas from Aldershot Town.
Hamilton scored their other goal in the defeat to Hednesford, which was his second of the season.
Their squad also includes experienced defender Reece Hall-Johnson, formerly of Wrexham and Barnet, midfielder Michael Clunan, in his second spell with the club, and ex-Magpie, Carlton Ubaezuonu.
Manager Caddis joined the club in March and helped secure their Step Two status after almost three years in charge of Hereford.
His playing career as a defender saw him represent the likes of Celtic, Swindon Town and Birmingham City.
Head-to-Head
It was not long ago that Chorley last visited Norfolk to face the Linnets, with April’s penultimate game of the season seeing a late Ubaezuonu goal earn the hosts a point after Mike Calveley’s first-half finish gave the Magpies the lead.
Back at the start of the 2025/26 season it was a different story as Chorley ran out 4-0 winners, with goals coming from Calveley, Craig Hewitt, Harry Ibbitson and Mark Ellis.
Match Details
King’s Lynn Town vs Chorley
Enterprise National League North
Saturday, September 12
3pm kick-off
The Docherty Walks Stadium, King’s Lynn, PE30 5PB
