Shortage of firepower which has dogged the Magpies all season was again responsible for lack of reward from a game in which Chorley otherwise more than matched their promotion-chasing hosts.

Third-placed Eastwood were indebted to a fluffed clearance under pressure by visitors' keeper Danny Hurst on the half-hour for the goal which sealed the points, leading scorer Peter Knox making the most of the early Christmas gift to cooly steer the ball into the net.

With James Mullineux commanding in central defence and Adam Roscoe flourishing in midfield, it was hard to see the twenty-one places' gulf between the teams in the First Division table.

But, though denying Eastwood space, the Magpies created only a few chances themselves in a dour encounter, with the well-drilled home defence imposing a stranglehold.

A Dave Woodruff header comfortably saved was as near as they came to a first-half equaliser and, despite dominating midfield for much of the second period, the best Chorley could muster were a speculative volley from distance by Jordan Goodeve and two decent headed attempts by Sean Wright and Neil Wright later on.

So for the first time in five meetings, the Magpies left Coronation Park without the points.