Spennymoor Town 1 Chorley 0: Magpies’ FA Cup run ended by stunning strike from Fletcher
Isaac Fletcher's wonder strike was the difference-maker that sent the Magpies crashing out of the FA Cup in Saturday’s third qualifying round tie.
Both sides came out of the blocks quickly, Chorley’s Kole Hall stinging the palms of Brad James inside the opening two minutes, before the hosts flashed a ball across the six-yard box that just evaded Rob Ramshaw's boot.
The game continued to flow freely, end to end, with little to note in terms of opportunities, before Matt Urwin was called on to deny Moors' ever-present dangerman Glen Taylor, who headed towards goal from close range. It needed a fantastic save to keep the game all square.
Spennymoor continued to turn the screw and looked particularly dangerous on the counter-attack, but, were very nearly a goal behind before the break, the ball cleared off the line twice in quick succession after a real goallmouth scramble from two quick corners for the Magpies.
The deadlocj was broken in the 65th minute as the Brewery Field was presented with a real moment of quality, Fletcher notching the only goal of the tie with an absolute peach of a curling shot from distance that left Urwin with absolutely no chance.
Chorley, to their credit, immediately pushed for the equaliser and Mark Ellis squandered a half-chance with a free header from a corner, having been left unmarked.
The Magpies huffed and puffed right to the final whistle but ultimately, the hosts held on resolutely to claim their spot in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round at the expense of Andy Preece's side.
Chorley: Urwin, Moore (Henley 65), Ellis, Smith, Blakeman, Clarke, Nolan (Hewitt 69), Calveley, Horbury, Hall (Carr 75), Touray (Sampson 75)