Vanarama Conference North

Gainsborough Trinity 3, Chorley 4.

Chorley banished the blues of the their midweek FA Cup exit in a scintillating first half-hour, stunning Gainsborough with four goals in an incredible eleven minute spell but the expected second-half cakewalk never materialised as Trinity hit back bravely to leave the Magpies eager for the final whistle. The contentious moment was the award of a soft penalty 12 minutes from time which cut Trinity’s deficit to two goals and led to Chorley manager Garry Flitcroft being banished to the stand after an injudicious comment to the referee.

Chorley’s pace and penetration on the counter-attack ripped Gainsborough apart in that devastating scoring spree.

On 18 minutes a miscued shot by Jake Cottrell was converted by Jack Dorney and soon afterwards livewire Josh Hine bagged two more, Harry Winter supplying the incisive passes from midfield.

Hine turned his marker before applying a cool finish for his first and then raced unchallenged past a static defence before exquisitely lobbing his second beyond keeper Jan Budtz. A routine header by Dale Whitham from a 29th minute corner made it four.

No doubt fired by a half-time roasting from manager Steve Housham, Trinity pulled a goal back on 52 minutes with a fine strike by Liam Davis but though the home side were now moving the ball more purposefully they did not really unsettle the Magpies’ defence. Yet when Dominic Roma went to ground rather easily and the referee pointed to the spot Simon Russell’s well-struck penalty gave Gainsborough new hope.

However, Chorley held out safely until Roma added a third for Trinity in the fourth minute of added time but it was all too late to deny the Magpies’ an important morale-boosting victory.

"We were brilliant first half," said Flitcroft after the match.

"But the lads are gutted in the dressing-room that they conceded three goals. I always felt we would see the game out and in fact I was in the dressing-room for the stoppage-time goal, not knowing who had scored."