Report: Chorley 3-0 Chester FC

Chorley ran out comfortable winners at Victory Park after the Blues were reduced to ten men inside the opening ten minutes.

All damage was done during a ten-minute period at the start of the second half, as goals from Mike Calveley and Jack Sampson took the game away from the Seals, prior to an own goal from Tom Leak.

A flashpoint changed the course of the contest after ten minutes as the referee pulled a red card out of his pocket after a challenge from Jack Bainbridge on Billy Whitehouse.

Despite the extra man, the hosts failed to impose themselves in forward areas for the vast majority of the first half, restricted by a steely defensive display.

Tom Carr had the first chance just before the mid-way point of the half, but his flicked effort bounced wide after a drilled ball from Warren Clarke.

Clarke was involved again in the 42nd minute, but his volleyed strike failed to test debutant Andrew Wogan in between the sticks.

James Jones showed his nouse and experience on the stroke of the interval, with a fantastic headed clearance off the line to deny George Horbury’s header that looked destined to open the scoring.

The breakthrough came for the Magpies just six minutes into the second half when the ball broke for midfielder Mike Calveley just inside the 18-yard box.

The central midfielder stroked past Wogan in the Chester net to break the deadlock.

Jack Sampson doubled Andy Preece’s side’s lead just two minutes later with another composed finish into the bottom corner that gave Wogan no chance on debut.

The extra man was highlighted in the 15-minute period following half-time, which was capped off by a third for the hosts to put the result beyond any reasonable doubt.

Tom Leak was the unfortunate party as he inadvertently hooked the ball over Hogan into the back of his own net.

The contest became flat after the third goal and the final 30 minutes was played without a plethora of action in either 18-yard box, with Andy Preece’s side in complete control of possession.

Adam Blakeman almost added a fourth in stoppage time with a lobbed effort that looped over Hogan but bounced to safety off the bar.

A contest that was altered by an early red card was seen out in a professional manner by the home side, as the Blues’ focus turns immediately to Tuesday night for a clash with Curzon Ashton.

CHESTER FC: Wogan, Kelly-Evans (K. Roberts 68′), Leak, Jones, Woodthorpe, Bainbridge, Shrimpton, Weeks (S. Burgess 78′), Woods (F. Roberts 46′), Mottley-Henry, Peers (Rosenblatt 58′).

Subs not used: Barlow, Murphy, Rawlinson.

Scorers: Calveley 51′, Sampson 53′, Leak OG 60′