CHORLEY fell to a late 1-0 defeat against Brackley Town in the Vanarama National League North playoff semi-final despite a valiant effort from the squad, they fell just short at St James's Park.
The Magpies went toe to toe with Gavin Cowan's side in the early exchanges, though both sides struggled to create any real attacking opportunities in the opening quarter of an hour.
Jack Sampson had the first shot of the afternoon which went over the bar, followed up by an effort from former Magpie, Connor Hall, who took on Adam Henley and Mark Ellis before striking the ball from distance straight at Matt Urwin.
Chorley began to grow into the tie the further time went on into the first-half, Frankie Maguire stinging the palms of Danny Lewis with a curling shot.
Into stoppage time, Brackley had a corner swung in by Tommy O'Sullivan that somehow stayed out after an almighty scramble inside the box.
The Magpies came out of the blocks quickly after the restart but Urwin was tested once more minutes later, an unbelievable piece of quick-thinking to come out and deny Danny Newton a shot at goal.
Andy Preece's side looked the more likely to break the deadline as the minutes went by, Ellis heading just over from a corner on the hour mark.
Urwin had more work to do to keep out Morgan Roberts's close-range effort but eventually the hosts were rewarded for their attacking efforts, RICCARDO CALDER firing home to win it for Brackley Town after an initial shot was kept out brilliantly but the full-back picked up the rebound and did the rest to win it on the day.
Chorley: Urwin, Henley, Ellis, Smith, Blakeman, Calveley, Maguire (Whitehouse, 85'), Hazlehurst, Glynn (Johnson, 81'), Sampson, Ubaezuonu.
Cautions: Sampson (88').
Referee: Will Davis.
Assistants: William Vaughan & Aaron Haslam.
Attendance: 1,889 (378 away).
