New signing Chris Ward impressed on his first Magpies start, but Tony Hesketh's men were unable to halt their poor run of form.

The visitors took the lead midway through the first-half.

Pacy winger Adam Crossley slipped his marker before rounding the keeper Jon Kennedy to score from a tight angle.

Five minutes into half-time Halifax equalised from the spot after Ashley Parillon was adjudged to have tripped Junior Brown and top scorer Ashley Stott converted the penalty.

Eight minutes later, Chorley were 2-1 down when Paul Gedman lashed home Brown's corner on the hour.

Another corner was then headed home by skipper Tony Barras in stoppage time, sentencing Chorley to their sixth defeat in seven games.

The result means Chorley are now in the bottom four but Hesketh said: "We might be at the wrong end of the table but we can still make a challenge for the play-offs, this squad is capable of doing that.

"But it is very difficult at the moment as we are trying to change the fortunes of an ailing club.

"There's been a lot of apathy, doom and gloom at Chorley for many years and we are putting a foundation stone in place."

Chorley: Collinge, Fletcher, Henry, Mullineux, Smalley, West, Crossley (Sharrock 60), Parillon, (Walsh 60), Ward, Ellison, Goodeve (Burke 75)

Referee: Mr R Newman
Attendance: 1,346