Match report: Scarborough Athletic 3 Chorley 2

The sequence was a stunner for Chorley who had dominated the first half without finding the decisive finish which their slick approach work deserved.

But they showed character in bouncing back from the triple setback to grab two goals and give the final scoreline respectability.

Andy Preece’s men could not have begun more brightly, penning ‘Boro in for the opening 10 minutes but a series of corners and snap-shots failed to deliver a lead.

Preece was critical of his team’s defending for the opening goal on 54 minutes when Kieran Weledji was allowed too much freedom to head home a free-kick.

Worse followed four minutes later when Matt Urwin saved from distance but the ball ran free for Michael Coulson to follow up and score.

Then on 65 minutes it was three, Lewis Maloney rifling home a superb dipping free-kick from 25 yards.

Chorley hit back after 71 minutes, Connor Hall heading a Matt Challoner cross beyond keeper Joe Cracknell for his fourth league goal of the season.

The Magpies were not done yet, as substitute Justin Johnson curled a decent effort wide and Cracknell did well to parry a testing shot from Jon Ustabasi.

The flying winger did get on the scoresheet to make it 3-2 in the second minute of added time but in the end Chorley were left to reflect on what might have been.

With a corner-count of 11-1 in their favour and more than twice as many goal-attempts as their hosts, the Magpies will be disappointed to have left the Yorkshire coast empty-handed.

“We totally dominated the first half,” said Preece.

"And it was the best we’ve played this season but we didn’t manage to carve out a really clear chance.

"We lost our shape a little bit and were ragged in that 10 minutes after half-time but came back well and right to the end felt we could still get something from the game, which would have been the least we deserved.”

CHORLEY : Urwin, Wilson, Leather, Whitehouse (Johnson 70), Calveley (Nolan 66), Sampson (Owens 74), Ustabasi, Challoner, Shenton, Blakeman, Hall. Unused subs. Henley, Agyakawa.