Words: James Ede, Image: David Airey
CHORLEY return to Victory Park for the first time in over three weeks away as Darlington travel to Lancashire on Saturday.
The Magpies are unbeaten in their last four home games and are looking to do the double over this weekend’s visitors, who they defeated in style on the opening day of the season with a 3-2 comeback win after going down to 10 men.
The Quakers head into the fixture with two wins in their last three games and sit five points ahead of Andy Preece’s side, occupying the final play-off spot.
Last Time Out
The Magpies’ last outing ended in dramatic fashion when Chester goalkeeper George Murray-Jones spilled the ball into his own net in the 94th minute of the game to give Chorley a valuable point on the road.
Preece’s men started brightly with Anjola Popoola going close early on but it was the hosts who took the lead at the Deva Stadium through an incredibly unlucky own goal from Matt Urwin.
The visitors bounced back quickly however and were level three minutes before half-time through Popoola’s header, assisted by Mike Calveley.
The Seals re-took the lead on the hour mark through Declan Weeks but once again the Magpies equalised with 77 minutes gone as Calveley headed home at the back post from Jack Moore’s cross.
There was to be more turns though as, for the third time in the afternoon, Chester took the lead with Dion Kelly-Evans bundling the ball over on the line with nine minutes to go.
But the Magpies did not give up and got their well-deserved leveller in the dying seconds of the game when Nottingham Forest loanee Murray-Jones punched Adam Blakeman’s corner into his own net.
The result now sees Chorley in 13th place in the Enterprise National League North with plenty of competition in the play-off race.
Opposition Focus
This weekend’s visitors Darlington are also among the play-off contenders and are in a strong position at the moment in seventh place.
Manager Steve Watson has been in charge for over two years now and stabilised their place in Step 2 before pushing up the table this season.
Recent victories over Alfreton Town and Scarborough Athletic came either side of a 2-1 defeat at home to leaders South Shields.
Their squad contains the experience of on-loan York City man Paddy McLaughlin, Gateshead loanee Peter Jameson, midfielder Will Hatfield and defender Scott Barrow.
Young striker Jack Maskell leads the line with eight goals so far this season, closely followed by partner Cedric Main on seven.
Head-to-Head
The Magpies’ 3-2 opening-day victory featured goals from Tom Carr, Jack Simpson and Scott Wilson as they turned around a 2-1 deficit to come away with all three points after Milan Lalkovic’s first-half sending off.
The 2024/25 campaign saw Preece’s side pick up four points from their two outings with Watson’s side, winning 3-0 at home in October before a 1-1 draw at Blackwell Meadows last March.
Match Details
Chorley vs Darlington
Enterprise National League North
Saturday, January 24
3pm kick-off
Grant Store Victory Park Stadium, Chorley, PR7 3DU
