Scarborough Athletic emerge with 2-2 draw after thrilling clash at high-flying Chorley
It’s still only August, but this could well be one of the games of the season, as Chorley and Boro fought out a terrific 2-2 draw, in a match that included goals, near misses, great saves, good football and plenty of controversy.
All the goals came in an action-packed first half, but the excitement continued after the break, and it took a hugely contentious offside decision to rob Jono Greening’s side of the three points.
Two very good teams slugged it out from the start, Chorley’s Mike Calveley had a shot blocked by the superb Alex Wiles, then Boro enjoyed a good spell, Wiles and Alex Brown both fired into the arms of home keeper Matt Urwin, a Wiles strike was blocked by George Horbury, and Mark Ellis kicked clear when Dom Tear raced onto a Richie Bennett through-ball.
The deadlock was broken when an intricate passing move involving Ste Walker, Alex Purver and Luca Colville ended when Colville’s low cross from the left was tapped in at the back post by Tear.
Ellis headed wide for the hosts before they turned the game around with two goals in a three-minute spell.
A harshly-awarded free-kick from 25 yards was sublimely curled round a six-man wall and inside the right-hand post by Adam Blakeman, then Blakeman’s long throw into a crowded goalmouth led to a mass scramble, with Tom Carr bundling home from close range.
Boro were back level on the stroke of half-time, when a fierce shot from Tear forced a terrific save from Urwin, and Bennett had his ankle clipped as he tried to get to the loose ball, with Ste Walker sending Urwin the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Urged on by their noisy band of supporters, Boro were excellent after the break.
A Colville free-kick was headed on by Jake Hull to Bennett, whose shot was parried by Urwin, Blakeman intercepted an Alex Brown through-ball towards Colville, and Colville passed to the lively Walker, who skipped past two defenders before his shot was blocked by Adam Henley.
Chorley also created openings, Will Thornton kicked clear when Billy Whitehouse raced into the box, Ellis headed a Craig Hewitt cross into the chest of Ryan Whitley, then Whitley made a fabulous reflex save to palm away a fierce Warren Clarke shot from inside the six-yard box.
Both sides continued to create chances.
For Chorley, a Blakeman shot was gathered by Whitley, Blakeman blazed a free kick over and a Hewitt strike was blocked by Brown.
Boro finished strongly, Tear headed over from a Colville corner, then on 73 minutes Harry Green played a lovely through-ball to Bennett, who squared into the goalmouth for Walker to slam into the net, but to the fury of the Boro players, the linesman raised his flag for offside.
Seconds later Green raced forward, and was halted by a last-ditch tackle from Horbury.
Green then had a shot blocked by Ellis, and a Maloney corner was headed against the bar by Hull as a fantastic game ended all square.
CHORLEY - Urwin(c), Henley, Ellis, Smith, Blakeman, Calveley, Horbury, Clarke, Whitehouse (Hewitt 60), Carr, Sampson (T.Walker 83), unused subs - Nolan, Moore, Summerfield, Bird, Ibbitson.
BORO - Whitley, Weledji, Brown, Hull, Thornton (c), Purver, Tear, Wiles (Green 66), Bennett (Maloney 81), S.Walker (Allan 81), Colville, unused subs - Romoero, Duckworth, Gibson-Booth.
REFEREE - Callum Jones.
CHORLEY GOALS - Adam Blakeman 37, Tom Carr 40; BORO GOALS - Dom Tear 19, Stephen Walker 45 (pen).
GOAL ATTEMPTS - CHORLEY 12 (5 on target) BORO 11 (7 on target).
CORNERS - CHORLEY 4 BORO 3.
OFFSIDES - CHORLEY 1 BORO 3.
YELLOW CARDS - Mike Calveley (Chorley), Richie Bennett, Jake Hull, Lewis Maloney (Boro).
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Stephen Walker.
ATTENDANCE - 1,020 (86 away).