Chorley tossed away a two-goal lead through poor defensive organisation to plunge deeper into trouble third from bottom in the UniBond First Division (North).

It looked like a potential cakewalk for the Magpies in the opening half-hour, as enterprising attacking play repeatedly opened up a sluggish Albion defence.

Chorley were soon in front. A determined run by Ashley Parillon released Roger Sharrock who steered home the first goal after nine minutes and then a clever build-up culminated in Parillon crossing for Adam Crossley to dart through a gaping defence and head in Chorley’s second on 22 minutes. Sharrock almost added a third with a fierce shot from a narrow angle which was beaten out and then Albion keeper Neil Bennett made a superb save from Gavin-Lee Ellison’s bullet header from a pinpoint Sharrock centre.

But Chorley were never convincing at the back. James Mullineux had to head off the line with Peter Collinge stranded out of goal, before the home rearguard capsized twice in the last six minutes of the half, David Syers scoring two opportunist goals at the back post from floated left-wing crosses on 39 and 45 minutes.

These proved to be hammer-blows to the Magpies’ confidence and they promptly fell behind seven minutes after the interval, with David Dickinson thundering a 20-yard free-kick in off the crossbar following a reckless challenge by Jordan Goodeve.

Ossett took heart from their advantage and proceeded to see out the rest of the match comfortably, sub Andrew Catton even adding a fourth after being given the freedom of the park to control and fire home a long diagonal ball from the left wing.