Chorley 2 Buxton 2: Hall’s double act rescues point for Magpies

​The Magpies simply could not get going in a first half later described by manager Andy Preece as their ’flattest performance of the season’.

Apart from a couple of early sighters by Justin Johnson which flew too high, the Magpies caused few real problems for a watchful Buxton defence, whereas at the other end the Chorley rearguard faced numerous corners.

Buxton missed the chance to go ahead as the half-hour mark approached. Jack Sampson’s foul in the box conceded a penalty but Matt Urwin came to the rescue with a stunning diving save from Tom Elliott’s well-struck spot-kick and was quickly up on his feet to block the rebound attempt too.

However, three minutes into added time before the break, the visitors deservedly went ahead when a free-kick saw a scramble for possession in the goalmouth and Buxton substitute Declan Poole bundled the ball into the net.

With no marked improvement after the interval or change in the pattern of play , substitute striker Harry Scarborough entered the fray on the hour and there was now a noticeable extra sharpness to the Magpies’ forward play. For the first time, Buxton were under pressure and Chorley equalized after 70 minutes. A Josh Wilson cross was helped on by Mike Calveley and Connor Hall smashed the ball into the roof of the net from short range.

But the lead lasted only a minute. A right-wing centre across the face of the Chorley goal eluded Urwin and Warren Clarke headed in at the far post.

To their credit, the home side rallied quickly and Buxton keeper Theo Richardson pulled off a brilliant save to tip a rocket from Wilson onto and over the bar. With ten minutes to go, Scarborough was fouled inside the box and Hall stepped up to confidently dispatch the penalty and bring Chorley level for a second time.

At this stage, if anyone was going to win the game it was Chorley but despite the urgings of home fans in a crowd of 1,120 no further clear-cut chances were created and the Magpies had to settle for the point which for much of the match had seemed an unlikely reward. Andy Preece praised his side’s character in twice cancelling out Buxton’s lead and also lauded the fans: ’The crowd made a difference, which was really appreciated.’

CHORLEY : Urwin, Henley, Smith, Wilson, Blakeman, Shenton, Johnson (Scarborough 63), Calveley, Ustabasi, Sampson (Nolan 46), Hall. Unused subs. Leather, Whitehouse, Kay.