Chorley suffer first National League defeat as they are hit for six by Solihull Moors

The Magpies simply could not cope with a very tall team which made the most of its height advantage at both the front and the back.

Strike duo Paul McCallum and Nathan Blissett gave the normally solid Chorley defence a thoroughly torrid time.

McCallum bagged two of the goals, while Blissett registered a hat-trick in a clinical 16-minute spell of attacking play.

Moors manager Tim Flowers was unstinting in his praise for his players after the match.

“We were absolutely ruthless tonight,” he said.

“This is not an easy place to come – Chorley don’t lose many games here – and it was truly a top, top performance to win by that margin.”

What also stood out was the extra sharpness of the visitors, the full-timers clearly enjoying a fitness advantage over the Magpies’ part-time players the longer the game went on.

But Chorley competed well enough in the first half, as undaunted manager Jamie Vermiglio was quick to emphasise.

“It was the efficiency of a very good side in taking their chances which undid us,” said Vermiglio of a defewat that was “hard to take.”

In fact, the Magpies fashioned a decent chance before Solihull scored.

Alex Newby, the hosts’ stand-out performer on the night, linked cleverly with N’Tumba Massanka but the latter’s wells truck shot flew straight at keeper Ryan Boot.

Minutes later an incisive forward move left McCallum clear to fire unerringly past Joe Anyon.

Then Chorley were unlucky to see an effort clip the post and rebound into Boot’s arms.

Poor marking at a corner allowed the rangy Liam Daly to head back across goal for Blissett to finish from close range as the interval approached.

And a flurry of goals early in the second half enabled Solihull to cruise to victory.

The Chorley defence, not for the first time, failed to deal with the aerial threat from a corner and Blissett put Moors three up.

But within two minutes Alex Newby finished with aplomb after Massanka’s volley had been beaten out by Boot.

This fillip to the Magpies’ confidence, however, soon evaporated.

The tricky James Osbourne was allowed to complete a long touchline and byline dribble unchecked and he rolled the ball back for Blissett to complete his treble.

And when Andy Teague needlessly conceded a penalty from which McCallum made it 5-1, there were still some 25 minutes of the match for Chorley to endure.

The Magpies fashioned their sharpest move of the match which left Marcus Carver with a clear sight of goal, but Boot brilliantly blocked his fierce shot after rushing from his goal.

Moors’ sixth goal arrived seven minutes from time when substitute Danny Wright was left unmarked to head home a right-wing centre but Chorley doggedly saw out the remainder of a game they will need to forget without sustaining further damage.

CHORLEY: Anyon, Challoner, Blakeman, Teague, Meppen-Walters, Baines (Holroyd 63), A Newby, O’Keefe, Carver, Massanka (Dodds 69), Cottrell (Ross 63). Subs (not used): E Newby, Hooper.

Attendance: 1,020.