​Johnson’s deft touch hands Magpies victory at Curzon

In doing so, they inflicted on Curzon a second consecutive 1-0 home defeat to take some of the shine off the Tamesiders’ highly encouraging start to the season.

This was a game of few clear-cut scoring chances for either side and the issue was settled just before half-time when Justin Johnson bagged his fourth goal of the campaign.

Johnson cleverly anticipated an inviting ball floated over the home back-line and with a lovely delicate finish clipped the ball under on-rushing goalkeeper Cameron Mason.

Earlier leading scorer Will Hayhurst had a decent chance for Curzon after fastening onto a long punt by Mason but his quickly-taken shot flew the wrong side of the far post.

Of Chorley’s very few efforts on target, the most testing came immediately after the goal from Jack Hazlehurst who jinked his way through but saw his shot well saved by Mason.

The Magpies were sufficiently well-organized in a defence superbly marshalled by Mark Ellis to withstand the home side’s determined efforts to get back on terms in the second half but they were indebted on the hour to Harvey Smith for a vital block in the goalmouth at the expense of a fruitless corner to Curzon.

In winding down the clock during seven minutes of added time, Chorley picked up four yellow cards, three of them for a variety of perceived time-wasting tactics.

These three hard-earned points at a ground where Chorley have had limited success in recent seasons proved extra-valuable as three of the leading teams were beaten on the day, allowing the Magpies to climb into seventh place.

CHORLEY : Urwin, Moore, Henley, Ellis, Smith, Ubaezuonu (Britton82), Whitehouse, Hazlehurst (Shenton), Nolan, Calveley, Johnson (Blakeman 85). Unused subs. Hockenhull, Wilson.