North's Promotion Hunters Sparkle As They Make Hay In March

As Tamworth fired themselves to the title, it became very clear pretty quickly last month that it is now about the best of the rest when it comes to grabbing the second promotion slot.

Talk about settling in. Graeme Lee is the Manager of the Month winner for the second successive month after another sensational few weeks at Spennymoor Town.

Alright, he took a while to get his feet firmly under the desk but since arriving in January, nobody at the North East club has once looked back. Now they’re looking to complete the season transformation by winning a play-off place.

In March, his in-form teams saw off other sides in the top seven picture – Boston United, Alfreton and Curzon Ashton – and also hosted Scunthorpe United and won.

Having been 15 points off the pace at the end of January, they ended last month just a win away from those precious promotion places.

There were a number of players in the mix for the Player of the Month and the panel eventually went for a player who just seems to be getting better as the weeks rumble on. If it wasn’t for Jack Hazlehurst and his Chorley side, Tamworth would have had the title won by Easter.

Dubbed the ‘Magpie Messi’ by fans, the classy attacker is quickly becoming a Chorley legend after signing from City of Liverpool in the summer. He’ll be around for a bit longer too after he signed a new deal in December.

The brilliant Andy Preece find scored two crucial goals in another whirlwind month for his club as they ended March still technically in the title race - although their manager is honest enough to accept they were never really in it.

By the time April arrived, no team in the National League North had scored more goals than Chorley this season, and Hazlehurst chipped in with more than his fair share.

He took his tally to nine for the season with goals against Rushall Olympic, Hereford and Scarborough. He also added two assists, and his stock just keeps on rising.