Confidence is key, insists Flitcroft

Chorley’s Gary Flitcroft insists his side must rediscover their confidence to get their Evo-Stik NPL Premier campaign back on track after Tuesday night’s 2-1 setback at home to Witton Albion, writes Steve Bott.

And his opposite number Witton boss Brian Pritchard is repeating his warning to rivals that his new boys aren’t in the Premier Division just to make up the numbers after their shock win at title targetting Chorley who kicked off the season on Friday night with a stunning 4-5 away win at Stocksbridge Park Steels.

Magpies manager Flitcroft said: "It's early doors and so we can put things right now. We have another home game on Saturday but the lads have to show a bit more confidence. We have to get on the ball. We can't just keep hitting it high."

Chorley are at home to a Grantham side this weekend who lost 4-2 at home to the Magpies’ title rivals FC United of Manchester on the opening day. Flitcroft described his own team's first home defeat of the season as classic game of two halves after they'd roused themselves at half-time to fight back, substitute Matt Jansen hitting the foot of a post and right back Keiran Walmsley unlucky to see his free-kick miss its top corner target by inches as it flew over.

"I thought we were poor in the first half and they had good momentum," said the manager. "In the second half we got the ball down and played some good stuff. We have got to get the ball down and can’t keep hitting it high.”

Pacy Witton almost ran out of steam after running away with the game before the break but by then they’d taken the lead on 14 minutes thanks to Matthew Wood’s deflected shot and had gone further ahead 13 minutes into the second half when Anthony Gardner drilled a low strike from the right into the far corner. Tom Ince fired home his third goal in two games on 67 minutes to drag Chorley back into the match.

But Witton substitute Mark Buchan should have made it 3-1 in time added time on and while his manager Brian Pritchard was happy to admit they were lucky at times, he also reissued his warning that his Premier Division new boys shouldn’t be underestimated.

Pritchard said: "We rode our luck, but we could have scored two or three in the first half. We are a hard-working team with a bit of talent and we work hard all over the pitch. The problem is, as we have highlighted to others already, we are not here just to make up the numbers."

He added: "I made sure we did our work in pre-season and it's hard work and effort at this level that will pay off. To be fair to Chorley it was no easy game and it could have gone to 2-2."