Chorley 2-0 Boston United

Courtney Meppen-Walter opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time for the hosts with a deflected effort, while Darren Stephenson capped the win four minutes from time.

United were not without chances, with Sam Ashton saving well to deny Jay Rollins and Kaine Felix, while Felix also rattled the post.

The result left another dent in United's play-off hopes, although rivals Nuneaton Town and Tamworth dropped points too.

United, showing four changes to the side beaten 5-2 at AFC Fylde seven days previously, more than held their own on a ground that contained good memories from last season.

The game's first noteworthy chance did not arrive until 31 minutes in when Ashton made an excellent low save to turn Rollins' dipping drive around the post for a corner.

Chorley responded and Stephenson went straight up the other end to drag a shot across goal and wide from a tight angle.

The hosts took the lead in the 45th minute when United skipper Scott Garner bravely threw himself in the way of a MEPPEN-WALTER drive but the ball looped into the top corner beyond a stranded Fabian Spiess.

The second half remained a real battle, played out on a boggy and deteriorating surface, and United were left to rue three untaken chances for Felix late in the game.

His low drive nestled a fraction wide before a great double chance saw Felix brilliantly denied by Ashton and he then crashed the rebound off the far post.

Chorley cashed in and wrapped up the points on 86 minutes. The impressive Zak Mills was on hand to clear the first effort off the line from STEPHENSON but was powerless to stop the second effort following Jordan Connerton's return cross.

Chorley (4-1-3-2): Sam Ashton; Mark Ross, Andy Teague, Keil O'Brien, Paul Jarvis (Kieran Charnock 41); Courtney Meppen-Walter (Adam Roscoe 67); Jack Lynch (Jack Dorney 76), Jake Cottrell, Dale Whitham; Jordan Connerton, Darren Stephenson. Subs (not used): James Dean, Jack Cookson (gk).

Boston (4-4-2): Fabian Spiess; Liam Marrs, Zak Mills, Joe Burgess, Dylan McEvoy (Cameron Johnson 86); Kaine Felix, Scott Garner, Stephane Ngamvoulou (Lewis Hilliard 75), Jay Rollins; Mark Jones, John Sands (Grant Roberts 57). Subs (not used): Malachi Lavelle-Moore, Harry Payne (gk).

Referee: Marc Edwards.

Attendance: 823.