Chorley 2 North Ferriby United 0

THOSE disenchanted Rovers’ fans who chose Chorley for their Match of the Day picked a winner.

An estimated influx of 200 spectators swelled the Victory Park ‘gate’ to a season’s best 1,224 and Magpies’ boss Garry Flitcroft publicly thanked them afterwards for ‘a fantastic gesture of support’.

Although the game itself, marred by a stiff, swirling wind, was far from a classic, there was terrific atmosphere around the ground right from the kick-off as the crowd got firmly behind the home side.

After surviving an early scare, Chorley piled on the pressure.

Steve Foster raked the goalmouth with a fierce cross-shot and then volleyed over from John Cunliffe’s square pass before the Magpies set the crowd alight on 12 minutes with a picture goal.

Adam Roscoe sent Chris Denham racing clear on the right and he played an incisive ball into the box to the feet of Foster who laid it back perfectly for Denham, following up, to leave keeper Steve Wilson standing with a sweetly-struck low drive. As Chorley sought a second, Andy Teague saw his angled effort following a corner cleared off the line.

But Teague rescued Chorley at the other end when he diverted for a corner a dangerous through-ball with ace marksman Gary Bradshaw in position to apply the finish.

Play became increasingly scrappy after the break as Ferriby now facing the wind were forced to defend in depth but they succeeded in denying the Magpies a clear sight of goal.

The visitors rarely looked capable of scoring themselves against a resolute home defence but Greg Anderson wasted one clear chance, blazing high over after Russ Saunders had punched out a corner.

It seemed that the one goal would be enough for a Chorley victory until they doubled their lead with a bizarre goal as the match entered stoppage time.

A left-wing raid appeared to have broken down as the ball ran loose across the Ferriby goal-mouth but defender Sam Denton was horrified to see his attempted clearance rebound from the back of Matt Walwyn into the corner of the net.

It was an untidy end to an often untidy match but fourth-placed Chorley will not care about that as they now enjoy an eight-points’ lead over their nearest pursuers in the promotion race.