Chorley 3 Gloucester City 1: Routine victory is the perfect preparation for Trophy clash

CHORLEY 3, GLOUCESTER CITY 1

Chorley climbed into sixth place in the National North table courtesy of a routine victory based on a very strong first-half display and duly completed the double over relegation-threatened City. The visitors showed glimpses of quality going forward but were shaky at the back and fortunate to be only two down at the interval, the Magpies having twice stuck a post. After a delayed kick-off owing to Gloucester’s late arrival, Chorley were quickly into their stride and went ahead after nine minutes, Carlton Ubaezuonu tucking away a low ball from the right. As the half-hour mark approached a clearance by City keeper Jake Dennis fell to Justin Johnson 40 yards out who, seeing Dennis well off his line, put in a great effort which rattled the post. But the visitors’ escape was short-lived, the ball being recycled via Ubaezuonu to Jack Hazlehurst who confidently fired past Dennis. Johnson later missed a clear chance by shooting over the bar and the post again denied the Magpies just before the break.

When Johnson added the third Chorley goal five minutes into the second half, cutting inside his marker before finding the bottom corner, a goal-avalanche looked on the cards. But it didn’t materialize, partly because the plucky visitors refused to lie down and pulled a goal back on the hour, headed in by the lively Theo Robinson following a recycled corner. City kept plugging away and Chorley lost the impetus which had earlier enabled them to dominate proceedings. They were at times guilty of over-elaboration in attack, taking extra touches when opportunities to shoot first-time were created.

In the end, however, it was a solid work-out ahead of the big FA Trophy clash on Saturday when they host National League Solihull Moors with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.

CHORLEY : Dearnley, Henley, Ellis, Wilson (Nolan 90), Blakeman, Hazlehurst (Whitehouse 77), Shenton (Horbury 84), Calveley, Johnson, Maguire, Ubaezuonu. Unused subs. Dombouya, Drench.