A CARELESS blunder by player-manager Mark Molyneaux, keeping goal in place of Simon Marsh, cost Chorley a match they had dominated and kept alive the visitors' fading hopes of claiming a place in the UniBond First Division play-offs.

It was the Magpies' final home match of the season and they should have put the game beyond Eastwood's reach by half-time.

Danny Mills in particular failed to convert three chances and there was then a lucky escape for Chorley when Molyneaux turned a fierce David Davies shot for a corner and Ian Leather scrambled a close-range effort off the line.

Emmett and David Eatock finally linked splendidly to cut open the Eastwood defence in the 45th minute, leaving Joe Murray to force the ball past Danny Bryant from short range.

Chorley maintained their high tempo after the break and on 53 minutes David Lowe crashed a 25-yard drive against the bar. But Eastwood's escape was short-lived, Eatock gathering the rebound to set up Paul Varley for a teasing cross which Bryant could only palm out to Emmett who netted easily.

The visitors were then gifted a goal after 75 minutes. Molyneaux dawdled in clearing a routine back-pass and in attempting to dribble clear was dispossessed by substitute Phil Bignall who rolled the ball into the empty net. The goal spurred on Eastwood and four minutes later they snatched an equaliser.

An almighty scramble in the Chorley goalmouth led to a corner from which giant striker Marc Smith headed in unchallenged.

CHORLEY...2 EASTWOOD TOWN...2