November's win a steal for Magpies

Gary Flitcroft’s Chorley hardly need a lift as the club fights for honours on four fronts but they got one anyway last weekend when the Magpies collected their Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Club of the Month accolade.

Flitcroft’s side host Conference Premier Forest Green Rovers in the FA Trophy’s Second Round on Saturday and Witton Albion in the Doodson Sport Cup on Tuesday before returning to the Premier Division’s title race next weekend when they host Buxton.

Flitcroft and Magpies Chairman Ken Wright are pictured being presented with November’s top flight award - an inscribed certificate marking their achievement and 4.5 litre bottle of Bells Whiskey - by a smiling Evo-Stik NPL Operations Manager Alan Allcock at Victory Park before their surprise 2-1 defeat at the hands of Barwell.

The second placed Magpies are celebrating winning the accolade for the second successive month after enjoying a sensational November, winning all eight of their outings in four different competitions. Flitcroft’s troops took maximum points in the league after winning three out of three outings and reached the FA Trophy’s Second Round with a 2-1 win over First Division North Curzon Ashton. They also progressed in both the Doodson Sport Cup and Lancashire FA Trophy with victories over Kendal and Atherton Collieries respectively.

Chorley were named as the latest Club of the Month winners alongside Bamber Bridge and Scarborough Athletic in First Division North and South respectively.

Bamber Bridge are up to third in the league after manager Neil Crowe guided them to five wins from five in league action in November. The Brig, who also knocked Conference outfit Barrow out of the Lancashire FA Trophy in a penalty shoot-out and beat Lancaster City in the Doodson Sport Cup, were also honoured last Saturday, League Representative Alan Ogley presenting them with their award before kick off against Ossett Albion.

League Representative Mark Ogley was on hand to present Scarborough Athletic with their performance honour last Saturday too before they kicked off against Kidsgrove Athletic at Queensgate. Manager Rudy Funk and his Seadogs won the division's honour for their rapidly improving league form and success in three different cup competitions.

In the league, their three wins from three lifted them into the top half of the table and the Evo-Stik NPL’s new boys also overcame Cambridge City away in an FA Trophy replay before eventually going out to Conference outfit Telford. They also won through to the second rounds of both the Doodson Sport Cup and North Riding Senior Cup after beating Ossett Albion and Pickering respectively.