Salford 0, Chorley 3

A sensational team performance enabled Chorley to hand their supporters a breath-taking Christmas present as they toppled runaway league leaders Salford City.

The command the Magpies held over this game simply defied belief. After making much of the early running, they deservedly went ahead in the 32nd minute.

Clever play down the right by Jason Walker saw him cut the ball back for Nick Haughton to rifle it into the top corner of the net.

Five minutes later it was 2-0. Marcus Carver was sent clear on goal and he coolly stroked his shot past the exposed keeper, to trigger delirious scenes among the Chorley supporters.

After soaking up inevitable early second-half pressure from the hosts, the Magpies effectively killed the contest with a third goal on 55 minutes.

Carver raced down the left and crossed for Josh O’Keefe to score in front of the joyful Chorley fans. With the visitors well in control, only a goal-line clearance prevented Carver adding a fourth for Chorley.

Salford’s dismal afternoon went from bad to worse after 74 minutes when Scott Burton was shown the red card following an off-the-ball clash with Carver.

In a late Salford rally, keeper Matt Urwin did well to hang onto a powerful shot from distance by City substitute Anthony Dudley and then with six minutes to go Louis Maynard’s long-range effort rattled the post. But these proved to be token attempts to reduce the damage. It had been unquestionably Chorley’s day.