Match Report: Chorley FC 1-1 South Shields

South Shields took a point back from their visit to Chorley FC on Tuesday as the race for the Enterprise National League North title heated up.

Sonny Finch scored in the 11th minute before Jack Sampson levelled things four minutes later, and while both teams had a number of chances to grab a winner, neither could find the goal they were looking for.

Due to results elsewhere, the Mariners’ lead on top of the table has been reduced to just two points with 10 games of the season remaining.

The game sprung into action after a relatively cagey opening 10 minutes - the first chance fell for the hosts, who put in a dangerous cross only for Max Wilson to narrowly miss making contact.

By the 15th minute, both goals were scored: Tom Watson launched an impressive kick across the pitch into Finch’s path, who made no mistake as he slotted the ball into the far-left corner.

Wilson was the architect for the Magpies’ equaliser as he skilfully played past a handful of Shields players, before he laid it off near the byline to Sampson.

The number nine then evaded Watson with a deft touch across the face of the goal, which took many by surprise.

Chorley quickly grew into the game following their equaliser and they had two strong chances in the following 10 minutes; Warren Clarke nearly scored from a counter-attack while Jack Moore struck the crossbar from a free-kick.

The Magpies enjoyed a dominating spell towards half-time and they were potentially unfortunate not to get a goal as a result of it.

An inswinging corner brought chaos into the box but the attempted clearance saw Chorley retain possession and charge up the field - a sequence of headers forced Watson into punching it clear, but that didn’t dispel the threat as the hosts challenged the penalty box once again.

That pressure only subsided once Wilson took a shot which went wide.

The second-half told a similar story as Chorley appeared the more threatening team: Watson pulled off some fantastic stops to deny a second goal, while Shields managed to head a surefire goal off the line in the 64th minute.

Paul Blackett was very unfortunate not to grab a goal in the 77th minute after Dan Dodds fed him through across the byline, but he failed to make enough of an impact to send it over the line. 

Finch then narrowly headed over after Moore inadvertedly knocked the ball into a prime position for the forward.

Things turned interesting in stoppage time as Mike Calveley was sent off for a second yellow card, however by that point it was too late for it to make a difference.

The game finished 1-1 and Ian Watson’s side earned one more point on the road.

Next up for the lads is a visit to Hereford FC on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

Chorley FC: Urwin, Ellis, Smith, Calveley, Sampson (Ibbitson 71’), Clarke, Moore, O’Kane, Bird, German, Wilson (Carr 86’).

Unused substitutes: Griffiths, Blakeman, Walker, Lalkovic, Drench.

Goals: Sampson (15’).

South Shields: Watson, Bainbridge, Sykes (McGurk 79’), Morse, Robson (Alcock 79’), Blackett, Jenkins, Mann, Finch, Wheeldon (Roles 70’), Dodds.

Unused substitutes: Sheik, Tinkler, Smith.

Goals: Finch (11’).

Image credit: David Airey (@dia_images).