National League North : FC United of Manchester 2, Chorley 0.

Chorley’s fading hopes of making the promotion play-offs took another knock as they made little attacking impact on a game which rarely excited a bumper crowd of 4,150 boosted by a strong Magpies’ contingent approaching 500.

Matt Jansen’s men were left to count the cost of missed opportunities after this second away defeat in four days.

So tight is the National North that six points from those two games would have propelled them into a play-offs slot.

But the reality is that the Magpies have recently lacked conviction away from Victory Park and this was a third straight defeat on the road without even a goal to show for their efforts in any of the matches.

FC United won this contest readily enough, though it was not until Dale Johnson’s 87th minute solo strike that the points were finally secured.

Chorley offered gritty resistance, despite the blow of losing imposing centre-back Kiel O’Brien with a suspected torn hamstring after just 21 minutes.

It was up front where the Magpies were short of firepower, a direct consequence of being regularly outgunned in midfield. Their best chance came and went after just fifteen minutes when from Adam Roscoe’s clever overhead delivery Jordan Connerton headed disappointingly over the bar from short range.

The match overall lacked any pattern of clear-cut scoring chances, especially in a tight but uneventful first half. It sparked into life two minutes after the break when a foul by Dale Whitham on Jerome Wright handed United a penalty which Wright himself converted.

Then a Wright cross almost produced a second goal, Mark Ross’s attempted clearance glancing off the bar.

A short-lived deluge caused play to be suspended but the chance to regroup did not kick-start a Chorley fightback and with three minutes of the ninety left Dale Johnson neatly worked himself a shooting chance which he put away emphatically to seal United’s third successive victory.

Only a smart stop by Sam Ashton prevented the ever-influential Wright from back-heeling a third in added time.

On Monday, Chorley ended their two game losing streak but failed to breakdown a resolute if unambitious Stalybridge Celtic.

The draw leaves the Magpies five points behind Boston United in the final play-off place, meaning Saturday’s game at Tamworth, who are currently sixth, is a season make or break fixture; only a victory will keep their play-off hopes alive.