Match Report: Chorley 2-1 South Shields

A late fightback was not enough for South Shields as they suffered back-to-back defeats in a 2-1 loss to Chorley.

Elliott Dickman’s Shields were dealt yet another injury blow after Tom Broadbent was forced to leave the field just fifteen minutes into the encounter through injury. Ashton Mee replaced the defender with Coleby Shepherd converting to centre-back.

In a game where the Mariners created more than enough chances to at least come away with a point, it was the home side, who came into this game unbeaten since December, who drew first blood. After twenty minutes, an innocuous high ball by Adam Blakeman was not dealt with by Coleby Shepherd, allowing Mo Touray to go clear and show excellent composure to calmly lob the ball on the half-volley beyond the onrushing Myles Boney and give Chorley the lead.

Shields responded well, though, with Kyle Crossley and Dylan Stephenson causing problems to the Chorley back line with their pace and guile either side of the two centre-backs. It was Crossley who forced Matty Urwin into action when he was denied smartly from close range after Stephenson had won the ball well and picked out his strike partner across the face of goal.

It was then Stephenson who then came close for the visitors. Mee’s clever flick from a searching ball from deep fell to the path of the forward. Stephenson caught his volley excellently from fifteen yards and saw his strike rattle the post.

Crossley then did have the ball in the back of the home side’s net shortly after as Shields were thoroughly on top after thirty minutes. Mackenzie Heaney’s inswigning cross evaded both defenders and attackers before falling to Crossley from close range however, on the stretch, the young attacker was only able to use his arm to convert and was penalised and booked accordingly by referee, David Jones.

As the second half got underway, Shields looked to turn their chances into goals despite being a goal down. However, a moment of controversy turned the game strongly in Chorley’s favour when Blakeman’s corner travelled all the way through to an unmarked Mark Ellis at the back post. The defender headed home courtesy of a slight deflection; however, the Mariners had stopped playing, believing David Carson had been impeded in the penalty area as the corner came in. Replays since have certainly shown an infringement, however the referee and linesmen adjudged there to be no foul, and the goal stood, doubling Chorley’s lead on fifty minutes.

As the game trickled towards a comfortable result for Chorley as they closed the gap further on the top three, Shields found a way back into the game with fifteen minutes remaining. The lively Will Jenkins did superbly well to beat two challenges on the left-hand side before a clipped ball to the edge of the box was met by Martin Smith who calmly slotted the ball into the right corner beyond Urwin to pull the Mariners deservedly back into the contest.

Just moments later, Crossley once again forced the best out of Urwin in the Chorley goal when Robert Briggs showed true quality to dispossess Warren Clarke and drive forward before picking out Crossley. From just four yards out, Crossley’s first-time effort did not generate the trajectory required as Urwin deflected the ball away before being cleared as Shields passed up a fantastic opportunity to rescue a point on eighty minutes.

Despite plenty of possession and the six minutes of added time, Shields were not able to force another chance as Chorley defended resolutely, holding on to secure their fifth straight league win.

The Mariners now fall to 15th, thirteen points outside of the top seven and play host to Needham Market next Saturday, looking to keep their season alive with fifteen matches left to play this season.

Chorley: Urwin, Ellis, Smith, Montgomery (Nolan, 46), Calveley, Touray (Carr, 59), Moore, Horbury, Eze (Clarke, 65), Blakeman, Hall (Sampson, 76)

Unused Substitutes: Henley

Goals: Touray (22’). Ellis (50’)

South Shields: Boney, Hughes, Shepherd, Smith, Heaney, Briggs, Jenkins, Crossley (Ward, 84), Carson, Broadbent (Mee, 17), Stephenson

Unused Substitutes: Seymour, Myers-Smith, Sloan

Goals: Smith (74’)

Attendance: 1254

Image Credit: Kev Wilson

(@KevWilson19)