Chorley 3 FC United 3

JAMES Dean scored a dramatic late equaliser in an enthralling FA Trophy tie that had the magnificent crowd of 2,254 gripped until the final whistle.

The Magpies appeared to be on course for a routine passage into round three as goals from Dean and Paul Jarvis put them 2-0 up at the break, only for FC United of Manchester to storm back in a riveting second half.

The visitors’ prolific marksman Tom Greaves pulled a goal back 12 minutes into the second half to reignite the Reds’ previously subdued challenge.

Now, urged on by a 700-strong away contingent packed behind the goal they were attacking, United turned the game on its head with two further goals to go in front with eight minutes to play.

If Garry Flitcroft’s side were shell-shocked to now be staring defeat in the face, they didn’t show it and piling forward with great purpose they equalised two minutes later with Victory Park now a cauldron of excitement as both sides went all-out for a late winner.

It was intoxicating stuff for the partisans and simply terrific entertainment for the neutrals, five of the six goals exemplifying finishing of the highest class.

After a cagey opening to the tie, Chorley broke the deadlock in the 16th minute.

A clever flick through a defender’s legs by Josh Hine set Jarvis free but keeper David Carnell seemed well-positioned to save his under-powered shot until it deflected off a defender and rolled into the corner of the net.

There was a scare for Chorley when keeper Sam Ashton failed to cut out a deep cross but Greaves, at full stretch, headed just over the empty net. But the Magpies went two-up in the 37th minute thanks to a thunderous Dean strike worth the admission money alone.

Again Hine was the provider, chesting the ball back into the path of the onrushing Dean who, from the edge of the area, hammered an unstoppable rising drive into the top corner.

It could have been three soon afterwards, Andy Teague powering a free header from a corner just over the bar.

Hine had a great chance to wrap up the tie soon after restart but as he manoeuvred the ball round Carnell a brilliant last-ditch tackle by Jerome Wright saved the day for United.

It was a crucial escape for the Reds, as two fine opportunist strikes by Greaves in the 57th and 66th minutes were to bring the sides level.

First taking advantage of a miscued clearance, Greaves hit a first-time rising drive just inside Ashton’s near post and then he cut inside to beat the Chorley keeper with a well-placed low cross-shot.

The goals fired United’s players and travelling army of fans and the mounting pressure told on 82 minutes when Wolfenden cashed in on defensive uncertainty to ghost in and cleverly flick the ball beyond the exposed Ashton.

It looked as if that might be United’s ticket into the last 16 but there was to be a final dramatic twist.

From a Chorley free-kick with six minutes to go, the impressive Hine got up well to head square across the box for Dean to plant a firm header beyond Carnell and send the closely-matched teams to Curzon Ashton’s Tameside Stadium on Tuesday for a replay.