CHORLEY boss Mark Molyneaux has told his players 'let's do it for Jack' as the Magpies gear up for tomorrow's winner-takes-all play-off clash with Radcliffe Borough.

The prize for the victors is a place in the UniBond Premier Division next season.

And Molyneaux admits promotion would be a fitting tribute to the late Jack Kirkland, the former Chorley chairman, who sadly passed away last weekend.

"There's a feeling around the club that we want to do this for Jack," said Molyneaux.

"This club has got the best bunch of players it will ever have in terms of the togetherness and how much they all care for this club.

"On Tuesday night we held a minute's silence before our game for Jack and we had 20 players on the pitch all holding each other, and another 25 in front of the dug-out.

"That was noted by a lot of people at the ground and they all saw just how together we are.

"Of course, it would be great to go up for Jack but this club has got to move forward now without him and promotion would be a great way to do that."

Chorley booked their place in tomorrow's final in emphatic style thanks to a thumping 5-2 victory over Premier Division Gateshead.

But Molyneaux insists his in-form Magpies will still start the final as outsiders after finishing two places and 12 points behind Radcliffe in the final UniBond First Division table.

"We're the underdogs," said the Chorley boss, who took his players for a gym session and a pint as part of a team-building exercise last night.

"Radcliffe finished 12 points ahead of us in the league and on that basis they deserve to go up ahead of us.

"But if we can sneak up through the back door then we'll grab it with both hands.

"At the end of the day, though, I just hope the game lives up to it's billing.

"Both teams like to play good football and we are probably the two most in-form teams in the league at the moment.

"So I just hope our lads can perform and do themselves justice on the day."

If Chorley were to emerge triumphant it would cap a remarkable first season in charge for Molyneaux and his erstwhile assistant Wayne Goodison.

When the duo were persuaded to quit Trafford for Victory Park last season, the Magpies were languishing in the lower reaches of the table.

But the pair have since ushered in a quiet revolution after assembling a brand new team.

Initially, it took time for those new faces to gel and promotion seemed beyond them at the turn of the year.

However, an excellent second half to the season culminated in the Magpies securing fifth spot and a place in the play-offs on the very last day.

Now a Premier Division return beckons but they'll need to repeat their heroics from midweek in order to squeeze past a classy Radcliffe side, who are managed by former Chorley player Kevin Glendon, at Stainton Park.

Boro already have valuable experience of the play-offs after losing out at the same stage last year.

But they are determined to go one better this time around after booking their final place thanks to a tense 1-0 win over North Ferriby.

Jody Banim scored the all-important goal and the league's top-scorer will again be the man to watch tomorrow.

Both league games between the two sides ended in draws earlier this season.

But whatever the outcome of Chorley's biggest game in eight years, Molyneaux insists he's proud of what has been achieved so far.

"Whoever ends up going up deserves to go up. It's just a shame it can't be both of us because I think we'd both grace the Premier Division," said the Magpies chief.

"Our aim was to finish in the top 10 but we've already done better than that by reaching the play-offs so I'm really pleased I made the move here.

"When you compare the state of the club to when we took over and how much we've improved since then it gives both me and Wayne a really big buzz.

"If we do go up then fantastic, and if we don't then we've just got to keep going forward."

Molyneaux must decide whether to bring back Joe Murray or stick with the same side which beat Gateshead so resoundingly.