Scunthorpe United 1 Chorley 1: Hall's well thanks to late leveller
Kole Hall’s 85th-minute strike saw Chorley grab a hard-fought draw after battling to the end against the National League North leaders.
Andy Preece’s side had the better of the early chances, George Horbury and Jack Rice both looking lively in midfield inside the opening five minutes.
The latter stung the palms of Ross Fitzsimons with the first shot on target, albeit a comfortable save to make.
With half an hour on the clock, it continued to be the visitors who looked the more likely in attack.
Brad Nicholson made a last-ditch challenge to deny Rice a route to goal before Fitzsimons was forced into a smart stop, keeping out Craig Hewitt’s curling effort from 25 yards.
Scunthorpe began to come forward in numbers as Warren Clarke was forced to clear a header off the line.
The hosts’ persistence eventually paid dividends right on half-time, Danny Whitehall looping a header past Matt Urwin at the back post.
Chorley made changes in search of a way back into the game, though chances after the restart were few and far between for both teams.
With five minutes to go, the moment the Magpies had been waiting for finally arrived as Mark Ellis flicked the ball from a free-kick into the path of Hall.
He slammed the ball into the far corner past a helpless Fitzsimons, grabbing his first goal for the club and securing an excellent point at the Attis Arena.
Chorley: Urwin, Bird, Smith, Wilson (Ellis 71), Clarke, Rice (Blakeman 68), Calveley (Nolan 83), Horbury, Hewitt, Touray (Carr 62), Hall.