Battling Kidsgrove rewrote the form book with a steely display to end their own six-match losing run and inflict on Chorley an eighth home defeat of a topsy-turvy season.

The Magpies boast the best away record in the UniBond First Division but this patchy performance illustrated once again why they cannot achieve consistency at Victory Park.

Only when substitute Franny Barry came on with twenty minutes to go did Chorley look capable of ruffling the visitors' powerful defenders and pulling the game out of the fire.

Kidsgrove capped a positive start by going in front after 26 minutes through a clever solo goal from Ashley Miller. He did well to keep the ball in play on the right before beating two defenders as he cut inside and then deceiving keeper Phil Priestley with a perfectly-flighted shot which dipped just inside the far post.

Then the visitors profited from slack marking to add a second goal on 69 minutes. Richard Eyre looked offisde as he collected a lofted through ball but he was allowed to go on and calmly steer a shot wide of Priestley.

The arrival of Barry was the signal for Chorley to apply sustained pressure on a now flagging Kidsgrove defence and with six minutes left Barry rounded off a smart build-up with the deftest of lobs which sailed beyond keeper Richard Powner. In a hectic finish Powner got down well to hold Peter Wright's low drive and then right at the end produced a fine point-blank save to block Barry's attempt to sweep home a left-wing cross.