Chorley 2 Blyth Spartans 0: Magpies move into FA Trophy fourth round

Driving rain and a boisterous wind posed a severe challenge in the last hour of the game and both sides deserve great credit for putting on any sort of show in such atrocious conditions.

It was Blyth who made the brighter start to the match and looked set to give Chorley a real test – but they failed to make their early supremacy count.

Then, as the home side grew into the game, they went ahead after 32 minutes.

Clever work by Justin Johnson teed up Jack Sampson, whose searing low drive was brilliantly saved by Michael Hogan, plunging to his right.

However, Blyth’s reprieve was to prove shortlived as, from the ensuing corner, a goalmouth scramble culminated in Mike Calveley hitting the back of the net from short range.

Spartans’ best chance fell to Will McGowan but, from an inviting position, he fired wildly over the Chorley bar.

The visitors enjoyed another decent spell after the break but a second Chorley goal on 53 minutes effectively killed the game.

Jack Hazlehurst’s dancing feet as he cut along the line provided the one moment of sublime quality in the match before his perfect ball across the face of goal left Sampson with the simplest of finishes at the far post.

Blyth could muster no real goal threat in reply as the Magpies’ sheer desire and determination gave them increasing control.

Their spirit was epitomised by one penetrating midfield burst from the outstanding Calveley, who rode three successive tackles to drive the team forward in search of a third goal.

That it did not materialise was, in the end, irrelevant as Chorley had shown all their character in trying conditions.

They deservedly kept a fourth consecutive clean sheet at Victory Park in extending their unbeaten run to seven games.

Chorley: Urwin, Moore, Smith, Wilson, Henley, Nolan, Calveley, Hazlehurst, Johnson (Whitehouse 66), Sampson (Moyo 76), Ubaezuonu. Subs not used: Ellis, Shenton, Blakeman, Drench.

Attendance: 621.