Chorley took the points at St James Park through two second half penalties as Saints recorded successive home defeats on a disappointing night. Gaz Dean was missing from Gavin Cowan’s starting line-up serving a one game suspension with on loan Kade Craig stepping in for a first start.

Goal chances from open play were a rarity in a hard fought, largely scrappy first half as neither team could achieve any fluidity. Saints’ best chance came for captain for the night Shane Byrne who arrived late to meet Connor Hall’s cross-field pass first time, the shot just wide of Chorley ‘keeper Matt Urwin’s post. Jack Sampson’s well struck long range effort was perhaps closer than Jonny Maxted first imagined but sent the sides in goalless at the break.

The break-through came on 52 minutes as the visitors won a penalty that was clinically despatched by the Sampson. Brackley struck back as Scott Pollock’s shot was well saved by Urwin after a sharp passing move and Danny Newton was thwarted only by smart defensive cover with Newton almost through on goal.

Maxted tipped over as a cross-shot dipped under his cross-bar and from the resulting corner a headed attempt was close. But Chorley doubled the lead on 83 minutes as a break-away saw another Chorley player brought down in the penalty area and Sampson netted his second of the game from the spot. Newton’s header was tipped over at full stretch in added time but even a consolation goal was out of reach on a frustrating night for home supporters.

“Obviously a really disappointing result despite playing well for large parts of the game,” Gavin Cowan said. “It comes down to what happens in both boxes again tonight. But we make no excuses We have had a tough start and expected a better return than what we have so far. These are tough times for us but the results need to be better. We need to turn performances into results and tonight we have to take our medicine. This is a bit of a cross-roads for us. We need to stick our chests out and get back at it.”

MATCH STATS:

Bookings:
Brackley Town: x3 (Lilly, Lyttle, O'Sullivan)
Chorley: x3 (Henley, Ellis, Urwin)

Possession:
Brackley Town: 51%
Chorley: 49%

Shots:
Brackley Town: 7
Chorley: 7

Corners:
Brackley Town: 7
Chorley: 2

Passes Completed:
Brackley Town: 206
Chorley: 194

Goals:
Brackley Town: 0
Chorley: 2

LINE-UPS:
Brackley Town: Maxted; Calder, Craig, Lilly, Lyttle, Lowe (Bates 71), Byrne (Roberts 63), O’Sullivan, Pollock, Hall, Newton.
Subs unused: Cross, Worby.

Chorley: Urwin, Henley, Ellis, Wilson, Smith, Calveley, Sampson, Carr (Blakeman 78), Horbury, Hewitt (Touray 90), Clarke.
Subs unused: Nolan, Rice, Bird.

Referee: H.Wager Assistants: D.Hinton and L.Smith 4th official: M.Friend
Attendance: 535