Words: Pete Tscherewik, Image: David Airey
CHORLEY fell to defeat to Marine AFC on Monday evening in the first qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup in very tricky, wet and windy conditions.
Given the extent of the rain and slippy surface, both sides took time to settle into the game, the first sight of goal coming for the home side; Mikey Woods dragging a shot wide, Matthew Swift & Craig Mitchell's side starting the better of the two.
Joe Mitchell was next to push for the opener for Chorley, bursting down the wing, then opting to try and bend one past Curtis Holman; the shot saved comfortably by the stopper in the end.
With 25 minutes on the clock, it was the visitors who struck first though, James Potter in the right place at the right time to slot past Daniel Brindle in goal against the run of play.
Potter went in search of his second before the break, this time from a free-kick, saved well down low by Brindle.
After the restart, Chorley came out on the front-foot, hitting the woodwork early on and eventually that attacking momentum would lead to an equalising goal; Jacob Cummins slamming home on the half-volley after Marine failed to clear their lines from a set-piece.
Ten minutes left to play and the game turned on it's head, Alfie Wright forced off after what looked an awful challenge from a Marine player, (yellow card), only then for the visitors to get in behind on the counter and a Chorley player sent for an early bath after denying a goalscoring opportunity in the eyes of the referee.
From the resulting free-kick, Marine regained the lead, Brindle no chance in goal.
84 minutes gone, the same result again, another free-kick from Jack Shirley from the right, whipped with his left, nestling right in the far-corner.
Marine hit the post on 90 minutes before adding a fourth goal in stoppage time, harsh on the Magpies, in truth.
