Hosts Scarborough Athletic edged out in five-goal thriller by battling Chorley
Chorley moved back into the play-off places, but it was a third successive home defeat for Boro, as the Magpies twice came from behind to win 3-2 at the Scarborough Sports Village in another entertaining and evenly contested game
Alex Wiles made his 100th competitive Boro appearance, while Kieran Glynn (Boro) and Kole Hall (Chorley) both faced the team they had loan spells with last season, writes Steve Adamson.
The game began at a fast pace, with both sides looking to create chances.
Harry Green’s cross was headed clear by Adam Blakeman, as Richie Bennett waited to connect, Mark Ellis intercepted a fabulous through-ball from Green towards Luca Colville, the latter sent a 25-yard shot straight at Chorley keeper Matt Urwin, then Green’s cross was headed wide by Dom Tear.
In Chorley attacks, Weledji’s well-timed tackle halted a run from the lively Hall, Alex Purver tackled Mark Calveley on the edge of the box, and Ryan Whitley dived to make a super save, when a Blakeman free-kick skidded off the head of Scott Wilson, and sped towards the bottom left corner of the net.
Courtney Senior fired wide for the visitors, but Boro opened the scoring when a Colville corner from the right was powerfully headed in at the back post by Will Thornton.
Tear laid off to the hard-working Jack Waldron, who curled a shot wide of the left-hand post, then Chorley fought back, with Calveley heading wide from a Blakeman corner, before they equalised just before the interval, when Blakeman hoisted a free-kick into the Boro area, and the ball eventually dropped to Bolton Wanderers loanee Dubem Eze, who netted with a fierce low drive.
Boro began the second half on top, Colville fired straight at keeper Urwin, and Waldron blazed a shot over, then they spurned a great chance, as Colville’s low ball into the goalmouth from the left, was scooped over the bar by Tear from the six-yard line.
A Purver strike was blocked by the excellent Ellis, but Jono Greening’s side restored their lead when a Green shot was blocked by Adam Henley, and the rebound fell to Purver, who netted his first goal for the club with a thunderous left-foot strike.
Chorley equalised again when a Blakeman corner from the right was headed in through a crowd of players by Calveley.
It was a terrific game, with neat passing moves from both sides.
A Purver cross was punched out from under the bar by Urwin, before the visitors went ahead for the first time when a pin-point cross from Senior on the right was met by a bullet header from Ellis.
Whitley then got down to save at the feet of Senior as he raced through on goal. Boro applied late pressure, Green fired straight at Urwin and also had shots blocked by both Calveley and Ellis, and an Alex Brown cross was headed over by Tear, but the massed Chorley defence held out, to end a run of four successive draws and climb to seventh in the National League North table.
BORO - Whitley, Waldron (Woods 83), Brown, Weledji, Thornton(c), Purver, Green, Tear, Bennett, Wiles (Glynn 73), Colville, unused subs - Bancroft, Hudson, C.Wilson.
CHORLEY - Urwin(c), Nolan, Ellis, S.Wilson, Moore (Henley 46), Clarke (Horbury 60), Calveley, Blakeman, Eze (Carr 84), Hall (Touray 88), Senior, unused sub - Bird.
REFEREE - Gareth Thomas.
BORO GOALS - Will Thornton 34, Alex Purver 56; CHORLEY GOALS - Dubem Eze 44, Mark Calveley 64, Mark Ellis 70.
GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 13 (6 on target) CHORLEY 9 (5 on target).
CORNERS - BORO 6 CHORLEY 6.
OFFSIDES - BORO 0 CHORLEY 2
YELLOW CARD - CHORLEY - Courtney Senior
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Jack Waldron
ATTENDANCE - 959 (17 away)