CHORLEY completed the double over Stockport County with unexpected ease to reinforce their push for the play-offs.

It was a toothless performance by the home side who failed to muster a single shot to trouble Sam Ashton in the Magpies’ goal. In contrast, a top-class display by County custodian Danny Hurst alone prevented the scoreline reaching embarrassing proportions.

Home fans in a superb crowd of 3,401 (including 300 from Chorley) watched most of the proceedings in glum silence but found their voices at the final whistle to boo their team from the field.

The Hatters simply did not match Chorley’s desire and were all too easily hustled off the ball by the marauding Magpies.

The visitors could have been two up in the opening minutes. Hurst flung himself to palm aside Josh Hine’s low shot then the County goal had a triple escape. Hurst parried an angled drive from Hine who promptly followed up to rattle the inside of the far post.

The rebound reached James Dean but incredibly he failed to get the ball past the inspired Hurst from five yards.

Chorley had to wait until the 31st minute to take a well-deserved lead. Winter was tripped on the edge of the box as he prepared to shoot and Dale Whitham struck a fine free-kick past a seemingly unsighted Hurst.

After the interval, Hurst continued to pull off a series of fine saves but the busy keeper was caught out of position on 74 minutes by Whitham who floated an exquisite 30- yards’ lob beyond the back-pedalling Hurst and just under the crossbar. He was close to a hat-trick later with a cracking drive which fizzed just past the post.

There was still no prospect of a County goal and Hurst again was Stockport’s saviour in the last minute when he spread himself well to block Hine’s drive after the wingman had outpaced the home defence. The result all but extinguishes County’s play-offs hopes but keeps Chorley right on the heels of the top six with a game or two in hand.