CHORLEY missed the chance to go top of the table in suffering a shock defeat by Blackpool, their first of the season in the Northern Premier League, in a tight finish at Windsor Park on Saturday.

It was a match of fluctuating fortunes, with Blackpool seeming to have a comfortable target after bowling Chorley out for 118. An untypically poor Chorley batting display would have produced an even lower total but for a determined stand of 56 for the fifth wicket between Jim Fazackerley (31) and Mark Richardson (26).

It was visiting pro Marcus Sharp who undermined the innings, dismissing the first three batsmen for a combined score of eight runs.Blackpool's reply were progressing smoothly towards victory at 52 for 2 but they collapsed dramatically to 97 for 9 to leave Chorley favourites to win.

But then that man Sharp (17 n.o.) again played a major hand, using his experience to fashion 24 priceless runs with Martin Hackett and snatch victory by one wicket.

Chorley pro Josh Marquet claimed 4 for 67, while Iqbal Patel deserved better than to finish on the losing side with excellent figures of 3 for 23 from eighteen overs.

Yesterday's scheduled National Knockout tie against Wickersley Old Village was postponed after heavy overnight and morning showers left Windsor Park saturated. The match will now take place next Sunday.