CHORLEY ...1 GUISELEY ...2

ANOTHER three important points slipped from Chorley's grasp in a tight contest in which the Magpies had worked very hard to take control.

But two substitutions gave Guiseley a sharper edge in the last 20 minutes and they duly snatched two goals, thanks to inexperience in the home defence, to ensure that the current depressing run continues.

There had been literally very little to shout about in a dour and scrappy first half but the game sprang to life when, following clever play on the right by David Eatock and debutant Lee Clitheroe, Danny Mills' on-target shot from the edge of the box looped beyond the keeper with the aid of a deflection to give Chorley a 53rd minute lead.

It should have been 2-0 moments later when Eatock collected a poor clearance from the Guiseley keeper and raced clear on goal but instead of going for the cool one-on-one finish he blazed the ball over the bar.

It was to prove a very costly miss.

Guiseley threw on the experienced Mark Stuart and former Ossett Town hot-shot Scott Jackson and the pair were promptly involved in the equaliser on 70 minutes.

Young defender Dean Repullo was too easily by-passed out wide and when the ball was played inside Lee Bracey did well to parry Stuart's stinging shot.

Stuart hit the post from the rebound and in the scramble which followed Jackson swept the loose ball into an empty net.

Bracey pulled off another good save from Stewart Airdrie before on 75 minutes Repullo was again outwitted by the tricky David Henry who cut in and beat Bracey with a fierce angled low drive.

To their credit, the Magpies recovered quickly from these two blows and Chris Patterson was desperately unlucky to see a thunderous 25-yards drive crash against the bar with the keeper well beaten.

Then in the dying seconds, from Lee Pryer's excellent low centre, the keeper's reflex action deflected for a corner Mills' brave attempt to turn the ball over the line from point-blank range.

There were positives for manager Mark Patterson to take from the match, not least the determined contribution from new right-back Clitheroe.

But Chorley, with just one win since September, must start getting results very quickly now, if qualifying for the new UniBond Premier Division next season is not to become a difficult race against time.