Congleton Town FC 2 Chorley FC 4

A WELCOME win for Chorley at wet and windy Congleton with four cracking goals for their sodden fans to cheer.

However, but for a superb display of goalkeeping from Simon Marsh, Chorley could quite easily have come away from this game with nothing.

The Magpies found themselves facing the strong wind in the first half, but soon grabbed the lead.

Mills delivered a superb left wing cross and Barker powered a thunderous header past the helpless Alison.

But Congleton were in no mood to be over-run and were quick to strike back when Dodd's flicked header from a free-kick squirmed through Marsh's hands and squeezed over the line.

It was to be the keeper's only error and he put the blunder behind him to pull off a series of excellent saves in the difficult conditions.

The pick of the bunch was an amazing double save from Dodd just before the interval and Chorley profited by snatching the lead again in first half injury time.

Barker collected the ball on the halfway line and as the defence backed off, raced clear before hammering an unstoppable 25-yard drive into the roof of the net. With the wind behind them, the Magpies soon took control of the game and scored twice in quick succession round the hour mark.

First Barker turned provider, his low right wing cross being volleyed fiercely into the bottom corner by Mills. Almost immediately Chorley scored another outstanding goal - Smythe crashing another unstoppable shot from the edge of the box, this one whistling into the top corner with Alison again having no chance.

Chorley though had to soak up a lot of pressure with debutante centre half Challender winning some important headers.

Nevertheless, Marsh was the real hero with some terrific saves, although Congleton did cut the deficit when substitute Washington scrambled in their second.

In the last minute the referee harshly judged Fleming's challenge to be worthy of a penalty which Dodds drove against the post.

However a re-take was awarded as Marsh was deemed to have moved, only for Dodds to hit his second attempt against the same post, Marsh clawing the rebound to safety.

This Saturday Chorley entertain Accrington Stanley in the FA Trophy and next Tuesday Radcliffe visit Victory Park in the League Cup.