Last-gasp penalty miss denies Chorley a point against Ebbsfleet United

This match, one of only three National League fixtures to go ahead, was firmly in the grip of the gale-force wind and rain, making sustained constructive football on a sticky surface a near-impossibility.

But in the end it was an all-too-familiar story for the Magpies who desperately needed to win this game against second-from-bottom Ebbsfleet. The narrow defeat now makes Chorley’s prospects of at least avoiding finishing in last place more remote.

The statistics offer no comfort to the Magpies and their success-starved followers.

It is 10 games without a win now and in all of the last five games lost, the side has failed to score.

The frustrating accumulation of missed penalties also continued here with Alex Newby denied an 89th-minute equaliser by a brilliant save from Fleet keeper David Gregory, who proved to be the hosts’ hero of the hour when he also made a stunning save from Matt Challoner in added time.

Chorley clearly had their moments, registering 16 attempts on goal compared to the Fleet’s five but few of them were on target.

Even so, the home side were relieved to survive some hairy moments in their goalmouth, as the visitors were denied that little stroke of luck which might have changed the outcome.

In the end, the Magpies were unfortunate to lose.

However, manager Jamie Vermiglio was in no mood for excuses: “I can’t fault the effort and desire of the players but we deserve to be where we are because we are missing too many opportunities to score.”

There was little goalmouth action in a distinctly scrappy first half apart from a good early save by Matt Urwin but it was a livelier story after the break.

Chorley carried the greater threat, Courtney Meppen-Walter having a volley blocked and Gregory doing well to deny Marcus Carver who had seized on a poor back-pass – a golden opportunity lost.

But it was Ebbsfleet who grabbed the all-important goal after 57 minutes, Jack KIng applying the vital touch to a well-flighted free-kick.

Chorley hit back strongly and Carver made two penetrating runs from the second of which he fired a cross-shot just past the far post.

There was a major scare for the hosts when a Scott Duxbury corner caused panic in the home goalmouth, the ball being scrambled off the line with Duxbury’s follow-up also deflected for another corner.

Chorley substitute Alex Kiwomya was making a lively contribution and he won the late penalty, brought down by Gregory as he chased a ball into the box.

But the keeper excelled in diverting Newby’s well-placed spot-kick away from goal.

Gregory did even better in the fourth minute of added time, somehow keeping out Matt Challoner’s goal-bound snap-shot with an outstretched leg.

It was just not to be the beleaguered Magpies’ day.

CHORLEY: Urwin, Challoner, Meppen-Walter, A Newby, O’Keefe (Nortey 83), Carver, Ross, Cottrell (Kiwomya 63), Smith, Duxbury, Kay (E Newby 75). Subs (not used): Blakeman, Baines.

Attendance: 712