Bamber Bridge 1 Chorley 2

10:39am Thursday 27th December 2007

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A late goal from Steve Burke made for some extra special festive celebrations for Chorley as they took home all three points from this feisty local derby.

There was a distinct lack of seasonal goodwill between the two sides but no shortage of drama as some fierce challenges and two penalty decisions saw the referee giving our four yellow cards and one red.

There was little sign of the mayhem to come in the early stages as the Magpies were happy to contain the hosts who struggled to create many clear cut chances.

Chorley gradually gained in confidence, though, and full-back Mike Eckersley come close to opening the scoring with a header while home keeper McCormick was forced to save well from a James Mullineux effort.

The Magpies succeeded in breaking the deadlock on 37 minutes after Liam Coyne had been fouled in the box and Chris McDonagh slotted home the spot kick.

This seemed to awaken the home side as they stepped up their game in search of an equaliser.

They must have thought they had succeeded when they were awarded a penalty which was duly dispatched by Porter, but the referee ordered it to be retaken and the second effort was saved by Magpies keeper Peter Collinge.

Further chances were wasted by the home side before half-time whistle came to the relief of Chorley.

The home side dominated most of the second period in terms of possession but Chorley always looked dangerous on the break, and McCormick had to react quickly to clear a long through ball before McDonagh could pounce on it.

Bamber Bridge manager Phil Entwistle then decided to shake things up with a triple substitution and it seemed to work as the impressive Collinge was forced to tip over a long-range drive from Mike Fletcher.

A Chorley struggled to retain possession in midfield, the pressure told and the home side deservedly equalised in the 82nd minute with a well struck volley from Alex Porter.

Shortly afterwards Magpies centre half Liam Coyne was sent off for his violent reaction to a foul, and at that time Chorley would have been happy to for a share of the points.

But as Bamber Bridge pressed for a winner, Steve Burke latched on to a long ball and beat two defenders and the oncoming keeper to finish superbly.

There was still time for the home side to force a succession of corners and one almighty goalmouth scramble before the final whistle set off joyous celebrations for the travelling Magpies fans.