A late goal from Jordan Thewlis at Chorley, enabled Town to cut Salford’s lead at the top of the table to a mere two points.
With three Town stalwarts still suspended, Jack Vann was given a start at right back and Toby Lees joined skipper, Ben Parker, in the central defence.
An early foul by Jack Emmett on Jason Walker, allowed the Magpie’s,Nick Haughton, to test James Belshaw with a dipping free kick which he did well to smother.
Next,it was the visitors,in the shape of Joe Leesley,who threatened, firstly; he drove into the side netting and then he was thwarted by Matt Urwin diving at his feet to intercept a low cross.
As the game ebbed and flowed,Belshaw had to touch a Matty Hughes shot over the bar, after he had broken through on the left and then Lees, made a fine last ditch tackle to halt the marauding,Marcus Carver, as he threatened to break through on goal.
However, it was Town who finished the first period on the offensive with Emmett skying well over the bar after being sent clear after good work between Mark Beck and Thewlis.
The half ended with Beck slipping his marker at the far post only to head a Thewlis centre straight at Urwin.
Town kept up the pressure after the break, and when Thewlis glanced home a Leesley free kick the Town travelling army’s joy was unconfined,only to be dampened immediately by the assistant referee’s yellow flag, which was raised for offside.
Undaunted,Town continued to push forward and Urwin was the busier keeper, having to tip a Thewlis shot over the bar,before making a diving save to keep out Louie Swain’s low drive.
As the game entered the final ten minutes, there appeared little danger as Thewlis crossed from deep on the right,but the ball sailed over Urwin and curled under the bar, to give Town a deserved lead.
Beck had a chance to double the score when he met a Leesley free kick at the far post, but his close range header was parried away by Urwin.
The game still had a twist in the tail as a Leesley run was halted illegally by Matt Challinor,just inside the area,and Referee Rebecca Welch,had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot.
Although Leesley blasted the spot kick at goal,Urwin picked the right way to dive and pulled out a stupendous save.
But it was Town who took the spoils and hope to regain top spot in the table when they travel to Nuneaton on Tuesday evening.
Town
Belshaw,Vann,Swain,Falkingham,Lees,Parker (c),Thewlis,Emmett,Beck,Agnew,Leesley.
Unused subs;Day,Cracknell,Kerry,Thomson,Knowles. Bookings Vann,Swain.
Scorer,Thewlis 81 Att.1257
Chorley,
Urwin,Challoner,Beesley,Teague (c),Cottrell(Mooney 87),Jordan,Haughton,O’Keefe,Carver (Whitham 68),Walker,Hughes( Metz 44),
Unused subs;Anson,Roscoe. Bookings O;Keefe,Challoner.
By John Harrison.
