Match Report -
Chorley Away Defeat
By Debbie Taylor

A set piece in the first half undid Celtic who toiled in the Bank Holiday sun, but were unable to make much headway against Chorley.

Chorley almost scored in their opening attack when Marcus Carver latched onto a block by Tony McMillan at the edge of his box, but his lofted shot was hacked clear off the line by Nick Ryan. Celtic's hosts kept coming, Adam Blackeman firing straight at Tony McMillan, and McMillan pulling off a superb stop when Jason Walker was through one-on-one. Celtic did have half a chance from a long throw, with Matty Hughes heading wide under considerable pressure from the Chorley defence.

Celtic's defence was unlocked with a set-piece routine from the training ground. The ball knocked out deep, a lofted ball in and Dale Whitham's header back across the goal found Jason Walker who stooped in with a header to put Chorley ahead.

Carver should have doubled that lead when a half cleared ball fell to him at an acute angle, his rising shot clearing McMillan but smacking the bar before being scrambled clear. It was obvious Chorley were not settling for a single goal advantage, and both Jake Cottrell and Carver forced McMillan into decent stops, whilst Adam Blakeman's distance effort was well over the bar. At the other end both Steve Tames and Andy Owens had chances; Tames forced his way from the wing along the byline, Sam Ashton getting a powerful block on Tames's near post shot, whilst Andy Owens had the presence of mind to snap off a shot in a crowded box, but didn't quite connect, allowing Ashton to smother the ball.

The second half saw Celtic shade the effort, but not the result. Steve Tames had a powerful effort that Ashton palmed over the bar, whilst neither Danny Wisdom's reaction header nor Andy Owens's stab at goal were powerful enough to trouble Ashton. Tames and Jimmy Ball both fired over the bar as Celtic pressed, keeping Chorley on the back foot, but it was not enough, and even the introduction of Sherlock was too little too late, seeing Celtic fall to their sixth consecutive defeat. Saturday's home game against fellow strugglers, Nuneaton, is now crucial.

1Ashton, Sam  
2Azam, Waqas  
3Beesley, Will  > 66
4Charnock, Kieran  
5Leather, Scott  
6Jordan, Stephen  
7Blakeman, Adam  
8Whitham, Dale  
9Carver, MarcusYellow Card > 83
10Walker, Jason  > 72
11Cottrell, Jake  
12Gonzales, Sefton  < 72
14OKeefe, Josh  < 66
15Jarvis, Paul  
16Challoner, Matt  
17Roscoe, Adam  < 83