Words: Ryan Jacobs, Images: David Airey
CHORLEY fell to defeat on Tameside after a clinical Curzon Ashton took all three points, leaving the Magpies empty-handed.
Like Saturday, Andy Preece's side started the game well, with Adam Blakeman delivering a cross just inside six minutes after some tidy work by both Tom Carr and Adam Henley.
The resulting corner saw Carr gather the ball and get a strike away well. However, Bobby Jones was there to hold onto the effort.
Following some bright spells, Chorley were cut open after a through ball was expertly controlled and turned, seeing Alex Curran one-on-one with Matt Urwin and calmly slotted past the Magpies’ skipper in net.
Just 21 minutes in, Mark Ellis left the crossbar reverberating after he connected sweetly on the volley following a corner. It would be cleared eventually by the hosts, a near-instant response from the Magpies.
On the half-hour mark, Kole Hall came close to levelling the play, striking the post after some fine build-up play between him and Carr.
Just before the interval, Urwin was again forced into another one-on-one situation with Curran, but this time, the shot-stopper made a brilliant save with his foot to deny the forward a second.
Following the break, Chorley would be left frustrated with opportunities being scarce.
Blakeman had an attempt from a distance just after the hour mark, which saw Jones comfortably saved.
After Chorley pushed on for an equaliser and committed bodies forward, it left the Magpies vulnerable at the back.
A long ball over the top saw Isaac Buckley-Ricketts in on goal with Urwin, but an ever-chasing Henley was there to deny the tricky winger.
Buckley-Ricketts took it around Urwin and looked destined to score, but a heroic Henley got back and denied a certain goal to keep the deficit to one.
Dubem Eze and Billy Whitehouse combined well just seven minutes from the 90, with Whitehouse doing a cheeky back-heel to Eze, who glided into the box before going ever so close to levelling Chorley.
However, Jimmy Spencer was played in over the top and delicately chipped over Urwin, who could not do anything about the finish.
Then, with the last kick of the game, Spencer smashed one into the top corner from inside the box after being given time and space following a Chorley attack, securing all three points for the hosts.
The Magpies will go again this Saturday, the longest away trip of the season; Needham Market.
