CHORLEY maintained their recent fine league form despite the intervention of the man who awarded the ‘phantom’ goal to Reading at Watford last month.

Nigel Bannister was the referee for the UniBond First Division North clash - just three weeks after being the linesman responsible for one of the most bizarre decisions in football history.

Chorley led 1-0 on Saturday when Bannister awarded a 72nd-minute penalty to Harrogate Railway Athletic after Ben Jones’ shot struck Ashley Parillon on the arm.

Parillon was shown a red card but Jones’ unconvincing spot kick struck the post and was cleared.

The final scoreline hardly reflected the superiority of the Magpies, who are now up to 14th in the table.

Home keeper Liam Sutcliffe kept his side in the game with a string of great saves, particularly in a second half spell when Chorley laid siege to the Railway goal.

Magpies’ livewire Jordan Goodeve had a shot scrambled off the line in the opening minutes and Sutcliffe twice pulled off awkward first-half saves at the foot of the post from Goodeve and Parillon.

The breakthrough arrived after 47 minutes. Sutcliffe had already made a cracking save from Rob Henry but was given no chance when Jordan Connerton spun on the ball at the edge of the box and fired low into the corner of the net.