CHORLEY showed great character to mount a stirring second-half fightback which transformed a sorry shambles into compelling viewing.

The first hour of this UniBond first division clash had been a thoroughly untidy stop-start scramble, littered with niggling fouls and erratic refereeing decisions which clearly frustrated players on both sides.

An off-the-ball wrestling bout between Magpies' substitute Billy McCartney and Lincoln scorer Darren Smith reduced both teams to ten shortly before half-time and the incident led to Chorley player-manager Mark Molyneaux also being cautioned for his vigorous protest.

Both Molyneaux and David Lowe were perhaps lucky to see out the full 90 minutes following further second-half indiscretions.

Lincoln had looked the more assured side in the early stages and took the lead after 12 minutes when lack of concentration in the Chorley defence allowed Smith to seize possession and lift the ball over the advancing Molyneaux.

The subsequently disjointed exchanges did little to rouse the sparse crowd until five minutes before the interval when Lincoln keeper Simon Daniels pulled off a tremendous flying save to turn aside a blockbuster from Andy Mason.

Chorley came out with more purpose after the break but it was Lincoln who should have added to their lead when Chris Grey headed tamely wide from close range.

The visitors' tactics of defending too deeply gradually cost them the initiative and the introduction of substitutes Danny Kent and Ian Barker boosted Chorley who equalised on 66 minutes when David Eatock fired in a powerful cross-shot and Mason dashed in to divert the ball beyond Daniels.

The Magpies promptly took a grip on the game and it was no surprise when after 76 minutes Barker made space to cross from the right and Eatock hammered an unstoppable low shot into the net.

In an exciting finish, Lincoln came close when Ian Williams beat Molyneaux in a race for possession but poked the ball wide of the far post and at the other end Daniels flung himself to keep out a thunderous rising drive from Mason.

What began as a depressing afternoon had finally given Chorley reason to celebrate climbing to sixth in the table.

CHORLEY...2

LINCOLN UNITED...1