Chorley boss deflated after defeat at Kettering

“I haven’t felt as frustrated after a game in a long time,” he said after the National League North clash.

"If we take our first-half chances it’s a different game but we’ve switched off at two set-pieces and it has cost us.”What also needs taking into account, however, is that both Adam Blakeman and Lewis Baines cleared off the Chorley line in the opening 16 minutes as the Poppies had their moments.Connor Hall came very close for the Magpies in the early exchanges, cutting past a defender and shooting narrowly over the bar.

Kettering keeper Jackson Smith then pulled off a great save from Jack Sampson and the striker was close again just before the break when he fired just over the bar from a Blakeman long throw.Chorley fell behind on 50 minutes when Chris Smith claimed the vital connection in a goalmouth scramble following a corner conceded by a fine save by Matt Urwin.

The hosts went two up after 71 minutes. Smart build-up play down the left produced an inviting centre which demanded conversion, Connor Johnson obliging with a close-range header. The goal meant that both Poppies’ centre-backs were on the scoresheet.The Magpies pulled one back from a penalty four minutes later when Connor Hall was fouled and he stepped up to score comfortably from the spot.

But despite sustained effort Chorley could not find an equaliser and, the odd panicky moment apart, Kettering held on well for the win.The defeat extends Chorley’s disappointing run of just one win in five games and they now face a fight to stave off the challenge for their play-off place from three or four sides whose current form is much better than the Magpies’ own.

CHORLEY: Urwin, Halls, Leather, Baines, Whitehouse (Holmes 68), Calveley, Sampson (Blyth 46), Shenton, Blakeman, Alli (Ustabasi 83), Hall. Subs (not used) Carroll, Bright.