A COMMANDING first half display by Chorley in which they built up a virtually unassailable three-goal lead ensured that Whitley Bay remain entrenched at the bottom of the UniBond First Division.

But the Bay deserved credit for staging a brave second half fight back after quickly reducing the arrears and it needed sterling defending by the Magpies to make sure of their sixth away win.

Neil Mitchell missed a very presentable early chance as Chorley completely dominated the opening exchanges. But it was only a matter of time before the Magpies went ahead, the goal coming on 26 minutes from a well struck Paul Fleming penalty after Adam Critchley had been hauled down.

The home keeper then turned aside a fierce drive from Ian Barker before Colin Potts applied a professional measured finish to a left wing cross from the edge of the box to put Chorley two up after 39 minutes. With the Bay still relatively anonymous in attack, Mitchell made it three a minute before half time when he popped up at the back post to meet a free kick with a simple tap in.

But if Chorley's travelling fans were expecting a second half goal rush they were to be disappointed. An Andy Bowman strike five minutes after the interval put heart into the home side who enjoyed increasing possession of the ball without opening up the way to goal.

Keeper Simon Marsh did, however, rescue Chorley on one occasion when he had to race to the edge of the penalty area and chest the ball down before booting it to safety.

But in the end, Chorley won comfortably enough. If they could only match their away form at Victory Park, they could yet feature in the promotion picture.

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