Chorley 2, Kettering Town 0: Home sweet home for Andy’s buoyant Magpies

After a sluggish first-half display, the Magpies promptly upped the tempo of their game on the restart and never looked other than winners once the ever-lively Connor Hall had given them a 51st minute lead with his 11th goal of the campaign.

The best effort on goal in a largely incident-free opening half came from Kettering’s Keaton Ward whose shot from distance forced Matt Urwin into a diving save.

The Magpies themselves struggled to penetrate the Poppies’ in-depth defensive screen and had just one Billy Whitehouse effort on target.

Hall’s timely goal was the culmination of a flowing move down the left, Jon Ustabasi floating an inviting centre across the face of goal for Hall to nod in at the far post. Kettering’s brief bid to regain parity saw Ward break free on the right but Urwin stood up to the shot and held it cleanly.

The second Chorley goal effectively ended the contest. Hall was again involved, chasing a through-ball to the by-line and sliding it across the box to Jack Sampson who, under pressure, finally squeezed his shot past keeper Harrison Foulkes.

The ubiquitous Hall was then unlucky in a crowded goalmouth to loop a chip-shot beyond Foulkes only to see a defender clear athletically off the line.

Kettering’s forays now lacked any serious goal-threat and the introduction of fleet-footed Magpies’ substitute Justin Johnson produced a series of exciting runs and crosses, from one of which Foulkes did well to smother the ball at his near post.

Chorley’s victory lifts them into seventh, the last of the play-offs slots, while defeat for Kettering extends their season’s run without an away win to ten games.

CHORLEY : Urwin. Smith, Wilson, Leather, Whitehouse (Johnson 68), Calveley, Sampson (Owens 86), Ustabasi, Shenton (Tomlinson 68), Blakeman, Hall. Unused subs. Nolan, Challoner.

Att. 919.