CHORLEY VS COLWYN BAY
Colwyn Bay travelled to Chorley looking to extend their lead at the top of the UniBond Division One.

Colwyn Bay had the better of the early possession, but it was Chorley who created the better chances and had they brought their shooting to the match, they may well have taken the lead, but very rarely did they threaten Chris Sanna.  They did force Sanna into a superb save on twenty minutes when the ball was smashed goal bound.  Just as Sanna went to his left to make the save, the ball deflected back to his right. Sanna somehow swung his body around and managed to get a strong hand to the ball and turned it around the post.

Colwyn Bay took the lead ten minutes later when Macauley chased down a lost cause, putting the fullback under pressure. Chorley keeper Zac Hibbert came out to claim the ball, but Macauley managed to get a foot in and steal it from the keeper.  The ball looked as though it was going to roll out for a goal kick, but Macauley managed to just get to the ball and fired it home from the tightest of angles.

Colwyn Bay doubled their lead just six minutes into the second half when Hibbert had no choice but to collect a back pass as he was sold short by his defender and the Colwyn bay strike force right on top of him.

The initial free kick was block on the line as was the follow up, but club captain Dave Challinor made no mistake as he smashed the ball into the roof of the net from just two yards out.

Chorley, who were getting more and more frustrated, started picking up a flurry of yellow cards with some over the top challenges and when Chris Amadi needlessly lashed out at Chris Sanna, he left the official with no choice as he received a straight red.

Ironically, with Amadi off the field, Chorley played some of their best football and suddenly looked a force to be reckoned with as they started to find a way around the back of the Bay defence.  With just twenty minutes of the game left, James Mullineux headed a strong header home from a corner.

It looked as if the crowd were in for a grand stand finish, but Chorley’s indiscipline was to cost them further when Reece Kelly was caught right under the nose of the official as he first fouled a Bay player to the floor before giving the player a disgraceful kick. The official had no hesitation giving Kelly his marching orders.

Although Colwyn Bay were always comfortable against the nine remaining players, without the two goal cushion, the game was never safe, and so it seemed when with the game in the final minute, Chorley earned a corner. With keeper Zac Hibert joining the attack, the travelling fans held their hearts in their mouths, buy Colwyn Bay managed to clear the danger and played the ball out for the final whistle.

Report courtesy of Tim Channon

Pictures courtesy of Martin Lyons Photography