Chorley 1 Spennymoor 0: Downpour forces abandonment as Victory Park pitch flooded

The game at that stage was intriguingly poised. The Magpies had had the better of the first half but after the interval with the elements at their backs Spennymoor were beginning to ask serious questions of the home defence.

Chorley had started in the manner expected of a team bang in form and after Mark Ellis had put a free header wide they took the lead in the 10th minute.

Carlton Ubaezuonu cleverly made space to shoot from outside the penalty-area and duly buried the ball just inside the near post.

At this stage it looked as if the hosts might run riot, illustrated by a terrific shot by Marco Rus which keeper James Montgomery tipped over the bar.

But the visitors gradually settled to the task, always looking dangerous on the counter-attack. Twice in quick succession Matt Urwin raced off his line to block attempts by Will Harris and the excellent Rob Ramshaw.

The Magpies held on to their lead until the break, then some 10 minutes into the second half both sides hit the woodwork.

First, Moors’ skipper Mark Anderson thundered a free-kick against the underside of the bar, the ball bouncing kindly for the home team, then moments later, following a flowing passing-sequence by the Magpies, Marco Rus curled a fine cross-shot against the far post with Montgomery well beaten.

At this stage, with the elements behind them, Spennymoor were gaining territorial advantage and Chorley had some very determined defending to do, ensuring that Urwin was not too seriously tested.

But with the ball beginning to hold up in the water and the players’ safety becoming a concern, the referee called a halt.

Although he initially ordered a 10-minute break to see if conditions might improve, he soon took the sensible decision, after conferring with officials of both teams, to terminate proceedings.

CHORLEY: Urwin, Ellis, Wilson, Smith, Nolan, Whitehouse, Calveley (Hazlehurst, 45+3), Moore, Ubaezuonu, Rus, Johnson. Unused subs: Sampson, Moyo, Shenton, Drench.

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