RADCLIFFE BORO 1 - CHORLEY 2

EARLY and late defensive errors handed this group match tie to Chorley on Tuesday night.

The Borough were a goal down inside two minutes on a night when conditions were fine for flowing football, and then in the last minute they spluttered again to allow Chorley a shock win.

It was a victory against the run of play for Borough again produced the passing game demanded by manager Kevin Glendon who reckons he will be delighted if his players perform equally well this Saturday.

"We lost it at the death and defeat was down to individual errors but overall I am delighted with our approach to the game.

"I am naturally disappointed that we have narrowly lost our last two matches for they have produced our best football of the season," he said.

It was a Gus Wilson lapse in concentration which put Borough on the back foot shortly after the kick-off and Sutch was able to break through and score.

Good football from Borough put them back in the hunt but they found it hard to find a way through Chorley's solid defending.

It wasn't until the 55th minute that Mark Dempsey produced the home side's first shot on target, and that came from the penalty spot. Dempsey was accurate but keeper Marsh produced an impressive save.

In the final reckoning it was a couple of goalkeeping howlers which determined the result, Marsh slipping up badly after his earlier heroics by allowing a Dempsey shot to run loose. It fell to Ian Lunt and the gift was gratefully accepted.

That should have ensured a draw for Borough in a competition which has more twists and turns than Hampton Court maze.

But with the referee looking at his watch and the players looking forward to a shower, home keeper Danny Hurst allowed Smyth's long-distance shot to squeeze under his body and into the net.

BORO: Hurst, Battersby, Wealling, S. Kelly, Bean, Dempsey, Lunt, G. Wilson, Collins, Walker, E. Kelly. Subs: Banim, Landon, Elliott.