Chorley 0 Marine 0: Visitors' defensive display ends run of home wins

The scoreline accurately reflects a largely featureless game in which scoring chances were very few.

In fact, the Merseysiders had the best chance to win the game late in the first half when Finlay Sinclair-Smith cleverly broke through, only to shoot straight at Matt Urwin when he ought to have done better.

It was the sole spark in a drab and extremely scrappy first 45 minutes.

That chance apart, the visitors created very little and were content to ensure that the ball was kept as far away from their own goal as possible.

The Magpies, for their part, lacked a cutting edge up front but they at least managed to build up a sustained spell of second-half pressure and saw two efforts scrambled off the line following a series of corners and throw-ins.

The Mariners’ solid defensive cover, however, gave nothing away and was the prime factor in the Merseysiders leaving with a hard-earned point.

Proceedings were marred by a serious-looking injury to Marine midfield dynamo Jack Hazlehurst midway through the second half.

He appeared to go over on his ankle and, as a former Magpie himself, was given a warm ovation from all sides of the stadium as he was carried off after lengthy on-field treatment.

Chorley ramped up the pressure following his exit, but were almost caught out by a quick Marine counter which led to Urwin dashing out of the penalty area to narrowly win a one-on-one situation.

Even 10 added minutes held out little prospect of a winning goal for either side as a disappointing contest reached its inevitable stalemate.

While Chorley remain fifth in the league table, the race for a play-off spot is so tight that they will need to pick up at least four points from their two testing Easter fixtures at Buxton on Good Friday and at home to Radcliffe on Easter Monday.

Chorley: Urwin, Henley, Ellis, Wilson (Leckie 90), Nolan (Whitehouse 62), Calveley, Carr (Senior 71), Horbury, Blakeman, Hall (Touray 80), Clarke. Sub not used: Moore.