Chorley 0 Stocksbridge PS 3

CHORLEY'S season could hardly have finished at a lower ebb than with this comprehensive defeat against a lively visiting side which the Magpies had already beaten in Sheffield.

Two down in the first six minutes, Chorley were never seriously in the hunt and so sloppy was their defensive work at times they were lucky not to have conceded five or six.

The Magpies back division were caught flat-footed twice in the opening minutes. First a diagonal low ball into the box was deftly flicked past a hesitant Simon Marsh by Gary Hurlstone after two minutes and the damage was doubled when Karl Fothergill raced from the halfway line, shrugging off two half-hearted challenges before steering the ball past Marsh.

Any hopes of a Chorley recovery were dashed on 50 minutes when Marsh failed to cut out a low cross leaving Liam Robinson with a simple goal.

Nevertheless the Magpies proceeded to enjoy their best spell of the match, Corcoran firing a terrific 25-yard shot just wide and Paul Griffin seeing a powerful drive diverted for a fruitless corner.

Skipper Paul Fleming, one of the few Chorley players to show the necessary pride in their performance, came closest to scoring with a brilliant curving shot which rattled the post with the keeper well beaten. But in the closing stages dreadful defending gave Stocksbridge the chances to add two more. From point-blank range Adam Longden skied his shot over from a right wing cross and Fothergill raced almost half the length of the field unchallenged but was denied by Marsh's brilliant save.