CHORLEY battled from a goal behind to come back and win 1-2 away against Hythe Town to progress into the fifth round of the Isuzu FA Trophy.
The Magpies struggled to settle into the contest in the early stages, the conditions at Reachfields Stadium playing a big part in the tie right from minute one.
It was to be the Cannon's who had the first big opportunity of the afternoon, Matt Urwin called into action and somehow keeping the ball out of his net with an outstanding save with his leg after initially being wrong-footed.
Andy Preece's side began to find pockets of space and looked dangerous on the counter-attack, largely down Justin Johnson's left-wing but were dealt a sucker punch on the half-hour mark - JAKE EMBERY poking the ball home from close range after a deflection forced Urwin to parry the ball out initially.
Chorley, to their credit, did react well to going a goal behind and immediately went in search for an equaliser - both Ollie Shenton and Johnson knocking on the door before Mark Ellis forced Steve Phillips into a smart save from a corner.
The Magpies were rewarded for their attacking efforts before half-time though, JACK HAZLEHURST firing the ball home perfectly past Phillips with the outside of his foot into the far corner on 44 minutes.
Chorley came out firing and looked all but set to score barely a minute into the second-half, only for Johnson to be flagged offside by the referee but the signs were there - Ellis again coming almightily close to getting on the scoresheet, Phillips somehow keeping the ball out along with the Hythe defence.
JACK SAMPSON then went on to score the Magpies' second goal of the afternoon to complete the comeback, firing the ball in after Hazlehurst's initial free-kick wasn't fully cleared away.
Hythe then looked to attack with urgency as time began to run out for them but Andy Preece's side stood firm and managed the intensity of the Cannons' excellently right through to the final whistle to put themselves into the hat for the fifth round of the Isuzu FA Trophy.
Hythe Town: Phillips, Goldsmith, Schafer, Steventon, L. Smith, Allan, Barnes (Gray, 90'), E. Smith, Caney-Bryan, Collin (Phillip, 85'), Embery (Trespaderne, 58'). Unused: Stirman, Webb, Fisher, Garande.
Chorley: Urwin, Whitehouse, Ellis, Smith, Wilson, Calveley (Nolan, 80'), Shenton (Henley, 76'), Hazlehurst, Johnson (Blakeman, 85'), Ubaezuonu, Sampson. Unused: Moyo, Drench, Doumbouya, Moyo.
Goalscorers: ⚽ Embery (31'), Hazlehurst (44'), Sampson (74').
Cautions: 🟨 Hazlehurst (69'), Calveley (76'), Schafer (84').
Referee: Sam Mulhall.
Assistants: Michael Hayden & Valentine Anekwe.
Attendance: 730.
Next Up: We’re back at HOME, this Tuesday to take on GLOUCESTER CITY in a rearranged Vanarama National League North fixture - get your TICKETS HERE
