Gloucester 4, Chorley 3: Magpies play-off dream dies in dramatic fashion
Gloucester City 4, Chorley 3Chorley’s season ended in the cruellest of circumstances as they slipped from fourth to 12th inside the final quarter of Saturday’s National League North play-off decider, in one of the craziest finishes to a league season on record.
Heading into the game at Gloucester, Andy Preece’s men knew a win would guarantee a play-off spot, and despite going down early to a Dara Dada strike, the away side produced a fightback which looked to have secured the necessary three points.
Marco Rus’ first half stoppage time equaliser was added to by a 20 yarder from Mike Calveley and a sumptuous volley by Billy Whitehouse after the restart, leaving the Magpies just 19 minutes away from the post-season.
However, the game and both clubs’ seasons were turned on their heads by an astonishing final 15 minutes.
Sub Matthew Barnes-Homer headed home a quick reply for the Tigers, and after Jon Ustabaşı had been thwarted one-on-one by Liam Armstrong in the Gloucester goal, Barnes-Homer snatched the leveller with two minutes remaining.
A draw would have meant both sides finishing outside the top seven, and in the frantic injury time that followed it was the Tigers who broke loose to extend their season. Tope Obadeyi’s acrobatic effort in the third minute of stoppage time leaving the visitors shellshocked.
Gloucester Hall; Evans, O’Sullivan (c), Digie (Nugent, 62’), James, Dada (Barnes-Homer, 61’), Obadeyi, Spence, Berkeley-Agyepong (Holness, 90’+7), Morgan, Phillips. Subs not used: Marsh-Brown, Hall.
Chorley Urwin; Henley, Smith, Wilson, Leather (c), Whitehouse, Calveley, Sampson, Tomlinson (Nolan, 75’), Ustabaşı, Rus (Shenton, 84’). Subs not used: Johnson, Scarborough, Isherwood.
Attendance 1,973
Meanwhile AFC Fylde, secured the league title and promotion thanks to a 2-0 victory over Bradford Park Avenue.
Southport were beaten 2-1 at Leamington.