Scarborough Athletic beat Chorley 3-2 to claim second spot in National League North

The visitors dominated the first period, without really testing keeper Joe Cracknell, but Boro turned on the style in the second half, scoring three goals in a devastating eleven-minute spell, before Chorley pulled two goals back, but Boro held on for the three points, writes Steve Adamson.

Chorley bossed possession throughout the first half, creating two chances in the first couple of minutes, as Cracknell blocked a snap-shot from Adam Blakeman and skipper Scott Leather volleyed over.

Bailey Gooda won two crucial headers to clear dangerous crosses, Ollie Shenton fired straight at Cracknell and Jack Sampson shot just over as the early onslaught continued, before Boro’s first attack saw Dan Bramall lay off to Will Jarvis, whose shot was beaten away by keeper Matt Urwin, then Dom Tear, who had an excellent game, set up Bramall, who fired wide of the far post.

Chorley were soon back on the offensive, Shenton volleyed wide, the pacy Jon Ustabasi fired past the left-hand post, Connor Hall shot straight at Cracknell, Kieran Weledji made two terrific tackles to foil attacks and Billy Whitehouse blasted an effort wide. Then Leather looped a header over from a Blakeman corner, as Boro somehow reached the interval still on level terms.

Chorley began the second half brightly, and a low cross from star man Ustabasi was cleared by a diving header from Will Thornton, before Boro suddenly began to create chances of their own, and they went ahead ten minutes into the half when Maloney struck a free-kick low and hard into the goalmouth, and Kieran Weledji slammed past keeper Urwin.

Thornton blocked a strike from Shenton, before Boro doubled their lead on 59 minutes following a piece of magic from Luca Colville, who raced past two defenders and fired a low shot. The keeper got down to make a great save, but Michael Coulson tapped in the rebound.

It became 3-0 on the hour with a brilliant goal from dead ball specialist Maloney, who curled a free kick round the wall, into the bottom right corner.

The visitors were shell-shocked, but they fought back and reduced the arrears when a corner from Matt Challoner was powerfully headed home at the far post by Connor Hall.

Sub Justin Johnson twice went close, shooting just wide then having a shot beaten away by Cracknell, then Colville had a shot blocked by the visiting defence.

In stoppage time Cracknell saved a back-header from Joe Nolan, but Ustabasi slammed the rebound into the roof of the net.

Despite winning the corner count 11-1 and creating more chances, Chorley returned home empty-handed, as Boro's fabulous unbeaten home run stretched to 18 games thanks to a brilliant second half performance, and they left the field to a rapturous standing ovation.

BORO: Cracknell, Weledji, Jackson, Maloney (Pugh 70), Thornton, Gooda, Bramall (Heslop 63), Tear, Coulson (Plant 80), Jarvis, Colville

CHORLEY: Urwin, Challonor, Wilson, Leather, Blakeman, Calverley (Nolan 61), Whitehouse (Johnson 63), Shenton, Sampson (Owens 74), Hall, Ustabasi

REF: Jamie Westgate

GOALS: BORO Kieran Weledji 54, Michael Coulson 58, Lewis Maloney 65

CHORLEY: Connor Hall 71, Jon Ustabasi 90

BORO MAN OF MATCH: Kieran Weledji

ATTENDANCE: 1,629 (30 away)