THREE more priceless points slipped from nine-man Chorley's grasp in this basement battle against North Ferriby.

This was a must-win game for both sides and it is now hard to see the Magpies making the cut for next season's revamped UniBond Premier Division now.

Manager Mark Patterson was one of the two players dismissed and should have known better than to verbally abuse a linesman when leading wholesale Chorley protests after a penalty for what appeared a clear handball was not given in stoppage time.

Fifteen minutes earlier, experienced defender Keith Hill had also been sent off following a harsh second booking, after the visitors had effectively sealed victory with a second goal.

North Ferriby made a nervous start but were heartened by a stunning strike on 23 minutes. Steve Perrin took a quick 25-yard free kick and curled a delightful shot into the top corner while Chorley keeper Lee Bracey was still checking the position of his defensive wall.

Bracey redeemed himself with a smart reflex save from Gary Bradshaw just after the break but Bradshaw made it 2-0 on 75 minutes when he burst through a wide gap in the centre and coolly rounded Bracey before stroking the ball into an unguarded net.

David Eatock gave the Magpies a glimmer of hope in the 86th minute, chipping the ball into the net after Sharp had parried Lee Pryers' effort.

Barker made a hash of two early second-halfopenings before Graham Botham was inches away from a second for the visitors with a curling low drive. Both Andy Mason and David Eatock worked openings for themselves but drilled the ball wide and it was left to Bradshaw to show the way to goal on 75 minutes. Hill's dismissal quickly followed but Patterson's cameo appearance as a late substitute brought some much-needed composure on the ball in midfield and his distribution was more incisive than anything seen from Chorley earlier in the game. But he cut a forlorn figure as he departed prematurely,when the referee pointed to the dressing-room rather than to the penalty spot in the dying seconds.

CHORLEY ...1

NORTH FERRIBY UNITED ...2