Words: James Ede, Image: David Airey
CHORLEY play their last game of the 2025/26 season this Saturday when Worksop Town travel to the Grand Store Victory Park Stadium.
The Magpies collected a point on the road at King’s Lynn Town last weekend, with stand-in skipper Mike Calveley grabbing the visitors’ goal.
Saturday’s game will also see long-serving goalkeeper and captain Matt Urwin bid farewell to the club after nine years and over 300 appearances.
Last Time Out
Andy Preece’s men made the four-hour journey to Norfolk last Saturday in hope of doing the double over the Linnets after August’s 4-0 hammering.
An early Adam Blakeman half-volley was the Magpies’ first effort of the game.
The hosts looked to fight back with Blackpool loanee Terry Bondo and fellow winger Ross Crane both forcing Steven Drench, deputising for the ill Urwin, into saves.
But the travelling side took the led shortly before half-time through Calveley.
After a sustained attack, Max Wilson played a pin-point cross to the back post where Calveley beat his man and headed past Aaron Chapman.
Into the second half, Harry Ibbitson was almost given a one-on-one chance from Mark Ellis’ booming header but Tom Dickens recovered in time to prevent him from a proper shooting chance.
Wilson came close twice to grabbing a second for the Magpies, flashing two efforts wide either side of Chapman’s net.
Calveley found himself in the middle of another important incident when Crane pulled him down as he began to break away, forcing the referee to brandish him with a second yellow card and leaving the hosts with 10 men.
Minutes later, Ibbitson broke through on goal before being brought down and, although the referee’s initial signal appeared to be a penalty, a free-kick on the edge of the penalty box was the final call.
Jack Moore fired the set-piece wide and then, at the other end of the pitch, King’s Lynn found space for Adam Marriott to cross to Carlton Ubaezuonu, who tapped in for a stoppage-time equaliser.
The final 1-1 scoreline left Chorley with 54 points from 45 games, sitting 16th in the Enterprise National League North.
Opposition Focus
This weekend’s visitors recorded a massive 8-0 thumping at home to already relegated Peterborough Sports last week, with the visitors going down to nine men.
Szhem Whyte-Hall and Oliver Greaves both bagged hat-tricks as the Tigers moved up to 13th in the table.
That result continued a good run of form for Craig Parry’s side, who have recorded six wins in their last 10 games.
Aaron Martin leads the way for them with 13 goals, with midfielder Greaves sitting behind on nine.
This is their first season in Step 2 following their promotion from the Northern Premier League Premier Division last season, after beating Guiseley in the play-off final.
Head-to-Head
This is the sides’ third meeting this season, after Worksop’s 3-2 FA Trophy in November and the 1-1 draw at Sandy Lane the following month.
Milan Lalkovic scored a brace in the cup tie before notching a penalty in the away fixture.
Match Details
Chorley vs Worksop Town
Enterprise National League North
Saturday, April 25
12:30pm kick-off
Victory Park, Chorley, PR7 3DU
