Pete Tscherewik (words) & Stefan Willoughby (pics) at HQ
THE Magpies survived a late scare to claim three points from a pulsating encounter with Farsley Celtic at the Chorley Group Victory Park Stadium.
Jack Sampson got the Magpies off to a perfect start, slamming home a wicked shot from just inside the box on 10 minutes after Justin Johnson and Adam Blakeman combined to the forward up.
Matt Urwin then had to acrobatically deny Kian Scales from distance, before the Celts leveled on 25 minutes; Frank Mulhern firing in a free-kick off the post from 25 yards.
Sub Carlton Ubaezuonu then put the visitors in front seven minutes later, heading home from Luke Parkin’s cross to turn the game temporarily on its head going into half time.
Chorley came out for the second half with work to do but got back into the game quickly thanks to Connor Hall, who tucked away a penalty he won himself for his 10th goal of the season.
Two minutes later Sampson doubled his tally to put the Magpies in control once again with a stunningly executed overhead kick off Billy Whitehouse’s centre.
Harvey Smith added a fourth goal on 63 minutes via an Adam Blakeman corner, flicking home a Scott Leather header. That looked to have wrapped the game, up but there was late drama to come.
Scott Leather was given a second yellow card as injury time came into view and Ubaezuonu got his second goal off a Mulhern cross. Thankfully it was only a consolation as the home side saw out the final minutes to claim an important win.
Chorley Urwin; Smith, Leather (c), Whitehouse, Sampson (Okome, 85′), Tomlinson, Ustabaşı, Shenton (Nolan, 80′), Blakeman, Johnson (Schorah, 73′), Hall. Subs not used: Wilson, Drench.
Farsley Mason: Scales, Butroid, Johnson (Dube, 80′), Assenso (Ubaezuonu, 13′), Allan, Syers (c), Atkinson, Spencer, Mulhern, Parkin (Osadebe, 73′). Subs not used: Dearnley.
Man of the Match Jack Sampson
Happy to get the win and the three points and delightful for Jack that he came straight back into the team and scored twice – Andy Preece
HT 1-2
Goals (assists) Sampson 10′ (Blakeman), Hall 55′, Sampson 57′ (Whitehouse), Smith 63′ (Leather) | Mulhern 25′, Ubaezuonu 32′ (Parkin), Ubaezuonu 90’+4 (Mulhern)
Cautions Smith 28′, Leather 48′, 87′, Ustabaşı 79′ | None
Dismissals Leather 87′ | None
Officials Stuart Morland | Elliot Bell & Neil Evans
Crowd 879
Next Up
A derby tilt with Southport at Haig Avenue on Bonfire Night (3pm). Tickets available online here or on the gate; £15/13.50 | £11/10 | £6/5 | FREE.