CHORLEY...3

OSSETT ALBION...0

REVITALISED Chorley made it three wins out of four to move into the top half of the UniBond First Division table, comfortably accounting for one of the poorest sides seen at Victory Park.

It was a scrappy encounter was never pretty to watch as relegation-threatened Albion bravely slugged it out until the Magpies' second goal early in the second half effectively ended the game as a contest.

Shot-shy Ossett seldom looked like getting on the scoresheet and it was not difficult to see why they have a mere five goals to their credit from 12 away games.

Chorley had missed three presentable chances, one a real sitter by Scott Bradford, before taking the lead in the 35th minute.

Paul Fleming's centre was headed back across the face of the goal by Andy Mason to leave Ian Barker with the easiest of finishing touches.

The Magpies went two up on 51 minutes through Mason, his 20th of the season, but not before the striker had made a hash of his second spot-kick of the week.

Keeper Andy Carney brought Mason down as he raced in on goal but his penalty hit the bar. Barker fastened onto the rebound to head it goalwards and the quick-thinking Mason followed up to turn the ball over the line.

In an isolated Ossett reprisal, Danny Toronczek got in a fierce rising drive which Simon Marsh tipped over but generally it was a case of whether Chorley could add to their lead.

David Lowe was unlucky to see a clever lob finger-tipped for a corner by the back-pedalling Carney and from the flag-kick Lowe then had two successive goalbound shots beaten out.

The icing on the Chorley cake was supplied by lively substitute David Eatock with the last kick of the game.

Lowe sent Barker racing clear down the right and he cut in before unselfishly squaring the ball to the unmarked Eatock who scored at leisure at the far post to make it three.