ACTING Chorley manager Mickey Graham is desperate to plug a leaking defence before the Magpies embark on their FA Cup campaign on Saturday.
The new-look defence has conceded 10 goals in the opening four UniBond First Division fixtures leaving the team with just three points to show for their efforts.
Graham takes Chorley to meet his old club Bacup Borough in the FA Cup preliminary-round clash on Saturday before they travel to UniBond newcomers Clitheroe on Tuesday - unless Chorley draw at Bacup, in which case the replay would be at Victory Park on Tuesday.
Chorley manager John Hughes, who is expected back from the US in time for the midweek fixture, has his intention to keep looking out for players to improve the squad and it's not difficult to see where the biggest problem lies.
With a goals-against column of 10, which includes defeats at Spalding (1-0) and Woodley (4-3 on Monday) and 3-1 at home to AFC Telford, as well as the brace that Colwyn Bay scored at Victory Park before Chorley turned in a much improved second-half display to run out 3-2 winners, Hughes will have defenders at the top his priority list.
The second half of the Colwyn Bay match saw Danny Queeley come off the bench shortly before half-time and go on to score a hat-trick, almost certainly the first Chorley substitute to achieve such a feat.
The FA Cup clash at Bacup will have an added flavour with a sprinkling of former Magpies likely to be in the home ranks, including Darren Emmett and Lee Wilkinson.
The winners of the tie will travel to Guiseley in the first qualifying round on September 18.
Chorley Reserves take on Morecambe at Victory Park on Saturday, followed by an away match against Northwich Victoria on Wednesday, September 15, and a home game against Accrington Stanley on Saturday, September 18
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