Costly errors bring yet another home beating

After the game a despondent Tigers boss Mark Shaw said his men brought about their own downfall: “Errors cost us again, they led to all four of their goals.”

“I’m very disappointed, we had them rattled in the opening 20 minutes, as well as being solid and sturdy, but then we allowed them to get into the game.”

“I’ve had enough of conceding so many goals. We’ve changed formation today and that has not totally worked.”

“Maybe it’s down to personnel who need to be moved about, maybe we need more experience and people who will do the jobs for 90 minutes rather than people who will do the jobs for parts of the game.”

Worksop, playing in a 4-4-2 formation, took the lead on four minutes when Conor Higginson charged down Sam Ashton’s clearance, the ball rebounding into the back of the net.

Minutes later only a good save by Ashton from Higginson’s shot prevented the Tigers going 2-0 up.

However, on 14 minutes the Magpies were level.

A poor clearance from Chris Salt gifted Chorley a corner, which the Tigers failed to deal with.

Ben Gathercole tipped Adam Mather’s in-swinging corner onto the crossbar, in the resulting scramble the unmarked Dale Witham fired home from close range.

Worksop were soon on the attack again forcing a number of corners, Tom Denton heading over a Higginson corner the nearest they came to scoring from them.

Then Jack Muldoon saw his shot parried by Ashton, the ball falling just behind Leon Mettam as he looked to collect the rebound.

A mistake by Laurence Gaughan gave the ball away to Darren Stephenson who was then fouled by Gaughan on the edge of the penalty area.

Mather’s free kick was deflected into the path of James Dean who steered the ball into the back of the net only to see the offside flag up.

Muldoon saw a cross shot pushed behind by Ashton.

From the resulting corner Shane Clarke saw his header headed off the line.

Shortly afterward the Tigers had another effort cleared off the line, this time Denton’s header from Higginson’s corner.

A minute before half-time Chorley took the lead following another mistake.

As Whitham played a ball over the top of the Tigers defence, Gathercole started to come off his line but stopped, Josh Hine collected the ball calmly lobbing it over the out of position keeper into the back of the net.

The first chance of the second half fell to the Tigers as Jack Adams shot narrowly wide from 25 yards.

Then a good interception by Higginson saw him run at the Chorley defence before setting up Mettam who instead of shooting tried to set up Denton and the chance was lost.

At the other end a bad mistake by Gaughan let in Hine whose shot was parried away by Gathercole.

Muldoon then shot just over from 25 yards out before Higginson saw his goal bound free kick parried away by Ashton, the ball eluding the Tigers attackers.

On 70 minutes Stephenson nearly made it 3-1 heading just wide from Kieran Walmsley’s cross.

However, two minutes later it was 3-1.

Higginson failed to track back allowing Adam Roscoe to head home unmarked at the back post following good work by Stephenson.

With 12 minutes of the game remaining a harmless ball over the top saw Salt and Gathercole hesitate and as they left the ball for each other, Hine nipped in between the pair to slot the ball home to make the final score 4-1.

Worksop Town: Gathercole 5, Pursehouse 6, Roe 6, Adams 6 (McKenzie 75), Salt 5, Gaughan 5, Muldoon 7 (Wall 82), Clarke 6, DENTON 7, Mettam (c) 5, Higginson 6. Unused: Cole, Barnett, Davies.

Chorley: Ashton, Walmsley, Mather, Teague (c), O’Brien, Witham, Hine (Zibaka 85), Vermiglio (Roscoe 66), Dean, Stephenson (Wiles 79), Cottrell. Unused: Ross, Meaney.

Goals: Higginson 4; Whitham 14, Hines 44, 78, Roscoe 72.

Booked: Roe 45; Vermiglio 43.

Referee: Mr A. Cawtherley. Assistants: Mr S. Cundall & Mr S. Howard

Attendance: 282.