Warrington Rylands were narrowly beaten by Chorley at the Quickline Logistics Arena, with a second attempt from the penalty spot proving decisive as the Magpies booked their place in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round.
Rylands started brightly from the off, with Harrison Wood already looking ready to test himself at the level above. The forward cut the ball across goal, but Jawad Jebrin was unable to properly connect with it and provide an early burst of adrenaline.
Adam Caddick then came close twice from distance, with his second effort the more dangerous of the two. The Rylands number 10 struck through a crowd and narrowly wide of Li-Bau Stowell’s goal.
Chorley’s best opportunity of a quiet first half came through their talisman Elliot Taylor, who got on the right side of Blues skipper Dean Furman before dragging his effort inches wide of the far post, leaving Luke Pilling scrambling.
After the interval, Chorley began dictating the tempo and gradually took the game away from Rylands. Pilling was called into action early on, producing excellent saves to deny Callum Rowe and Max Claveley.
Rylands then had their opportunity to open the scoring through some impressive transition play. A second ball caught Chorley deep inside their own box, leaving Wood surprisingly onside and with a free attempt at goal, but he couldn’t keep his effort down.
The Magpies continued to threaten from long throws, with a Taylor header flicked on towards the Rylands goal. Guy Hall produced a crucial clearance off the line before a Chorley shirt could tap home.
The momentum then appeared to swing back towards Rylands when Hazlehurst was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge that caught Charlie Munro high on the shin. One of Chorley’s most promising performers had been sent for an early shower.
That looked to have set up a potential replay, but another dangerous delivery into the box resulted in a penalty for Chorley. It appeared that Patrick Gamble had bundled over Harvey Smith while attempting to prevent a goalscoring opportunity from an Adam Blakeman cross.
Substitute Jack Sampson stepped up, but Pilling initially looked like the hero, diving to his right and making the save to send the Quickline Logistics Arena into celebration. However, the assistant referee ruled that Pilling had moved off his line before the kick was taken.
Sampson made no mistake at the second attempt, sending the travelling Chorley supporters into raptures and leaving Rylands’ hopes of a replay at Victory Park hanging by a thread.
Rylands threw everything at finding a late equaliser, with Caddick coming agonisingly close from a free kick 25 yards out. His curling effort clipped the underside of the crossbar before bouncing back off Stowell, leaving every Chorley fan inside the ground breathing a huge sigh of relief. The Magpies then held on to secure their place in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round, with Rylands left wondering what might have been after a valiant display.
Luck simply wasn’t on the Blues’ side, but there is little time to dwell on the disappointment, with Stockton Town returning to the Quickline Logistics Arena next Saturday, this time in the FA Trophy.
It will be the fifth consecutive home match for Rylands, and another opportunity to put today’s frustration behind them. Whether luck finally turns in the Blues’ favour remains to be seen.
Match Report by Jack Dowling