The Magpies were all set to take their place in last season's National League North top seven only for a remarkable turnaround by Gloucester City to win their final-day showdown with the last kick of the game.
It meant the Tigers were able to leapfrog Preece's side and consign them to a summer of what ifs.
Departures of top scorer Connor Hall to Solihull Moors and Jon Ustabasi, who joined AFC Fylde, saw 36 goals walk out of the door too.
But Preece's side have found the perfect response, with Tuesday night's 4-1 win at Banbury United moving them up to third.
"We are a team that people expect to be in and around the play-offs but that only tells half the story," Preece told The NLP.
"Financially, we are down in the bottom half. We punch above our weight year-in, year out and you always think, 'When is it going to be that year it might go wrong?" "But, for us, it's going really well. To be third at this stage -although it's early and really tight we're delighted. Credit to the players. They've been fantastic.
Sacrifices
Denne historien er fra December 24, 2023-utgaven av The Non-League Football Paper.
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Denne historien er fra December 24, 2023-utgaven av The Non-League Football Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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ENSIGN TEEN IS TAYLOR MADE!
WHITE Ensign boss Aaron Bloxham has hailed teenage talent Taylor Jacobi after his stoppage-time winner created history.
RAMADAN A RHYTHM IS BACK IN AT BLUES!
CEMAL RAMADAN reckons Bury Town have got back into their rhythm- but knows the Isthmian North title race is going to be a long haul.
DECRUZ IS SINGING THE BLUES FOR DREAM TIE
MERSTHAM manager Jamie Decruz says it would be \"crazy\" not to stage his side's glamour FA Youth Cup tie with Chelsea anywhere other than Stamford Bridge.
GLASSBOYS'JORDAAN IS A SCROOGE FOR BUCKS!
STOURBRIDGE snatched a dramatic stoppage time equaliser to seal a share of the points following a pulsating contest with promotion rivals Telford.
CLINICAL CALLUM HITS THE BULLSEYE
DARTFORD their D place in the play-off places as a 79th-minute goal from Callum Jones gave Adrian Pennock's side all three points.
ARDLEY'S OFF TO A WINNER!
NEAL Ardley got off to a winning start as Woking boss with victory over play-off chasing Altrincham and then admitted the Robins have set the mantra he would like the Cards to follow.
MADINE'S A MARVEL AT POOLS
GARY Madine's third goal in a Hartlepool United shirt fired his team to within two points of the National League play-offs after a dramatic victory over Yeovil Town.
BEES RATTLED BY TOP TOWN
BARNET slipped behind York City at the top of the National League after they were held to a draw by FC Halifax Town - a result thoroughly deserved by the Shaymen who battled for the whole game and gave the Bees barely a sight of goal.
Rovers denied by resilient Shots
DISAPPOINTED Steve Cotterill believes that his side had enough chances to beat Aldershot Town after dropping two points in their title quest.
KEEPER JOS REVELS AS GOAL HERO
IF you think goalkeepers never score, you must be Bark-ing mad.
