Red Nose Day pays off for Magpies (From Chorley Citizen)

Red Nose Day pays off for Magpies

4:29pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 in Sport By Chris Gee, Reporter

CHORLEY'S initiative in linking this match to the Comic Relief Red Nose Day campaign paid handsome dividends both on and off the pitch.

Suitably clad in red for the occasion, the Magpies made it six wins out of seven in disposing of a fiery promotion-chasing Buxton side to the delight of their supporters in a bumper crowd of 769.

And for midfield maestro Tom Baker it was a personal red-letter day.

After a sleepless night at hospital, attending the birth of his second child, Baker soon had cause for further celebration, curling home a sublime 22-yards’ free-kick in the 9th minute to give Chorley the edge in what was to prove a feisty, often physical, contest.

As the Magpies sought to press home their advantage, the Buxton goal survived an incredible scramble in which four successive shots from close range were blocked.

The visitors were closest to an equaliser when Marc Roberts outjumped keeper Jack Cudworth but headed just over the bar.

Chorley needed the cushion of a second goal in such a tight contest and Dale Whitham should have supplied it just after half-time, scuffing his shot wide of a gaping goal from a fine Adam Roscoe low centre.

But on 74 minutes Porya Ahmadi did much better, sliding the ball into the net at close range following a deep corner by Baker promptly returned into the goalmouth by Tom Ince.

Buxton, however, grabbed a lifeline ten minutes from time when Matt Thornhill rifled a 15-yards’ angled drive past Cudworth and the Magpies had to survive a strong late rally in which Grant Black fired into the side-net from a presentable chance and Luke Morris saw an overhead effort fly straight into Cudworth’s arms.

The play-offs remain a long-shot but on the evidence of recent form Chorley cannot yet be ruled out of contention.