CHORLEY open their UniBond League First Division campaign with a home match against North Ferriby United on Saturday, August 18.

Last season the Magpies completed the double over North Ferriby, winning 3-2 at Victory Park in December, and 3-0 away in January.

Skipper Paul Fleming scored in both games, the first of which saw ace marksman Danny Mills and sub David Eatock also on the scoresheet in the earlier encounter.

Striker Andy Mason, who recently joined Chorley on a permanent basis, will be relishing the chance to punish the Humberside team again as the Magpies set their sights on a return to the Premier Division. The match at North Ferriby was his first in a loan spell from Leigh RMI and Mason crowned his Magpie debut with a well-taken goal. Fleming and defender Greg Challender were the other marksmen.

Ken Wright's boys have a plum home fixture on Boxing Day -- taking on Trafford, whom they knocked out of the FA Cup in the first qualifying round with a 3-2 win at Victory Park last September.

Eatock hit the winner after goals from Peter Smyth and Danny Mills.

Chorley go to North Ferriby on Easter Saturday and on Easter Monday take on Gretna. The league season is scheduled to end on May 3, when new boys Ossett Albion from the Northern Counties East League are the visitors to Victory Park. In the FA Cup the Magpies have again been drawn away from in the preliminary round, this time at Northallerton on September 1.

As last season, when Chorley beat Ossett Town 1-0 away in the preliminary round, a home tie awaits the winners.

Wright's boys have the incentive of a home tie in the first qualifying round on September 15 against either Marske or Abbey Hey or Flixton or Maine Road. The winners will be at home to Marine in the second qualifying round on September 29.

Chorley have secured a home draw in the Umbro FA Trophy first round -- against First Division rivals Farsley Celtic. A trip to Belper or Runcorn in the second round on December 1 awaits the winners.

The Magpies have been drawn in Group Four of the League Cup competitions, along with Accrington Stanley, Burscough, Marine, Radcliffe and Rossendale, who were promoted from the North West Counties League at the end of last season.