Mat Bailey, Nantwich Town (pic courtesy of Nantwich Town FC)

By Ashley Houghton
Nantwich Town produced a battling display to earn a 3-3 draw away at high-flying Chorley in a thrilling game.

The Dabbers put the 5-0 drubbing at home by Worksop behind them to continue their strong away form.

And even when they fell 3-2 behind late in the second half, they showed enough determination to grab an equaliser for a deserved point.

Goals from Kyle Wilson, Sean Cooke and Mat Bailey (pictured) keeps Jimmy Quinn’s men in touch with the leading pack.

Ciaran Kilheeney grabbed a brace for the hosts after Darren Stephenson had cancelled out Wilson’s opener.

Quinn made three changes to the side that lost to Worksop, with Rod McDonald, Fraser McLachlan and Josh Lane all returning, the latter making his first start of the season.

The Dabbers started brightly and went close in the ninth minute when Lewis Short broke behind the Chorley defence and forced a smart double save from Jack Cudworth.

A minute later Nantwich did take the lead, Lane pressed the ball well and forced a poor pass back from Simon Garner.

Wilson darted in and neatly chipped Cudworth for the former Bangor City man’s first goal since the opening day thumping of Matlock Town.

The lead could have been doubled on the stroke of half time as Chris Flynn fed the ball to Wilson who set the ball for Niall Maguire who then forced a fine save from Cudworth.

The Magpies levelled for the first time just two minutes into the second half as Nantwich failed to deal with a long ball.

Stephenson’s shot took a deflection off McDonald and left Jon Brain stranded.

Five minutes later, Nantwich regained the advantage as miscommunication in the Chorley defence allowed Cooke to prod home his sixth goal of the season.

The hosts equalised for the second time just after the hour mark as Chris Denham’s free-kick was headed home by Kilheeney from ten yards.

Chorley, second in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League, went close to taking the lead minutes later as Stephenson found space in the penalty area and forced Brain into a quality save.

The Lancashire outfit thought they had wrapped all three points up five minutes from time as Russell crossed for Kilheeney to tap in from six yards.

But Nantwich hadn’t read the script. Wilson crossed into the penalty area and man of the match Bailey who had broken out of defence bulleted a header past Cudworth.

Nantwich now travel to Whitby Town on Saturday looking to return to the play-off places.

NantwichBrain, Flynn, Moss, Maguire, Bailey ©, McDonald (Smith, 61), Cooke (Beesley, 85), McLachlan, Lane (Jones, 72), Wilson, Short. Subs: Hughes, Foster.

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