Pete Tscherewik (words) & Stefan Willoughby (pics) at HQ
THE Magpies went down to just a third home league defeat of the season against a spirited Boston United.
Matt Urwin was first to be called into action, saving brilliantly from a towering header by Luke Shiels, as the visitors looked to set the tone early on.
Chorley did look the better of the two sides in the opening 20 minutes and didn’t have to wait long to break the deadlock – Harvey Smith stabbing the ball in from a couple of yards out in a goal-mouth scramble.
Boston began to grow into the game after the goal, Urwin again the saviour to deny Billy Chadwick but Jake Wright did get his side back on terms before half-time, slamming home confidently after a slick move on the edge of the box.
The visitors came out of the blocks quickly after the restart with two goals inside the opening eight minutes; Wright at the double for the evening before Chadwick doubled Boston’s lead with a smart finish.
Scott Wilson very nearly got the Magpies back in the game with an audacious effort on the turn, hitting the post from the edge of the box.
Connor Hall grabbed his 18th league goal of the season with ten minutes left, curling home a Harry Scarborough pass from 20 yards to set up a grandstand finish. But it proved to be too little, too late as the relegation-threatened Pilgrims held on for a vital three points..
Chorley Urwin (c); Henley (Johnson, 59′), Smith, Wilson (Blakeman, 82′), Leather (c), Nolan, Whitehouse, Calveley, Ustabaşı, Shenton (Scarborough, 59′), Hall. Subs not used: Schorah, Drench.
Boston Gregory; Sephton, Platt, Shiels (c), Wright (Mitford, 79′), Atkinson (Hasani, 79′), B.Pollock, Chadwick, McLintock, Mills, Nixon. Subs not used: Solanke, Goodson, Munakandafa.
It wasn’t a good performance, albeit against a team in Boston who played really well. We’ve got to pick ourselves up and go again on Saturday up at Spennymoor – Andy Preece
HT 1-1
Goals (assists) Smith 22′ (Whitehouse), Hall 78′ (Scarborough) | Wright 43′, 51′ (Shiels), Chadwick 53′
Cautions Whitehouse 28′ | Pollock 32′, Mitford 90′
Dismissals None | None
Crowd 649
HT Draw 1st 1145 (£32) | 2nd 1170 (£20) | 3rd 1112 (£13)
Officials Ben Wyatt | Mark Bates & David Burton
Next Up
We start March on the road against Spennymoor Town this Saturday (3pm). Tickets online or at the turnstiles – £15 Adults | £10 60+ | £5 u18s
