Chorley hopes get the chop

 Source: Chorley Citizen

 Chorley’s dreams of a second successive promotion were shattered in front of an expectant 2,754 crowd in a scrappy Evo-Stik League Premier Division play-off semi-final not without controversy.

FC United were good value for their victory, generally playing the more cohesive football.

The visitors were stronger and Magpies’ strike pair, Ciaran Kilheeney and Steve Foster, lacked support.

The Reds had the better of a sterile first half but proceedings livened up considerably after the interval and within minutes Kilheeney rattled the United bar with from 12 yards. Had that effort counted, it could have been different.

As it was, the dangerous Mike Norton put United ahead on 62 minutes with a quality strike.

The introduction of John Cunliffe brought more composure to Chorley’s approach work but two controversialdecisions went against the Magpies as first Steve Foster had a goal disallowed for handball and then they believed they should have been awarded a penalty when Chris Denham was flattened.

And they were made to pay when Astley Mulholland wrapped up the win for United.