CHORLEY chalked up their seventh away win of the season but in the end it wasn't the pre-Christmas cakewalk which Flixton's lowly league position might have indicated.

In fact, keeper Simon Marsh prevented the home side from taking at least a point with two crucial saves in the closing minutes.

With four minutes to go Marsh flung himself to keep out a Paul Doherty shot destined for the top corner of the net and then with only seconds remaining, the Chorley keeper whipped the ball off the toes of John Butterworth as he was about to apply the finish to a Flixton corner.

It had looked a different game in the early stages with the Magpies starting brightly and Flixton keeper Keith Nield pulling off a brilliant flying save from Adam Critchley after a great cross from Neil Mitchell.

But Flixton struck first on 18 minutes when Troy Hayder raced away to set up Butterworth for a cool finish.

Chorley, however, hit back with two quality goals in the space of four minutes. Ian Barker broke down the left after 36 minutes and crossed accurately to Mitchell who showed great skill and awareness to chest the ball down, turn and place it inside the post. The Magpies went ahead when Barker rose above the defence to meet Critchley's superb cross with a firm header into the top corner.

Mitchell then scorned a great chance to extend the lead by dwelling on the ball and allowing Nield to smother his shot. Most of the second half did little to warm the shivering spectators. Paul Allen fired wide from a good position for Chorley, and Mitchell saw a snapshot punched out by Neild.

At the other end, Marsh got down smartly to deny Flixton's substitute Mike Hogan.

But when Flixton did finally turn up the heat, Marsh once again showed just why he is regarded as one of the finest shot-stoppers in the league.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.