09-01-18 – Report – Chorley FC 0 Harriers 0

Reds everywhere as game comes to a fiery end

Report: Phil Lench

A poor game between two sides aiming to get into the play-offs ended in chaos and red cards tonight when, with just minutes to go, a bust up on the pitch between the Harriers Andre Brown and Chorleys Matt Challoner was sorted out with yellow cards apiece but then minutes later moved to the touchline where Challoner, John Eustace, Tyrone Williams and the Chorley assistant manager were all handed red cards after a mass brawl took over. Very little facts are known just yet but it appears that Eustace was exchanging words with the opposition bench and Challoner rushed over to also get involved. Tyrone Williams also weighed in and now has two yellow cards this season.

We’ll know more once the referee has submitted his report but it looks like Eustace will spend the next game or two in the stands while Williams could be looking at a four/five game ban for another violent behaviour offence.

Up until then the game had been the usual tight affair as in previous meetings between the two sides. Chances on goal were few and far between for both teams and both defences were in charge. In our back line we had Lee Vaughan making his first start for us since signing in pre-season while Dan Bradley also made his first start in a while following his half time return from injury at Leamington FC on Saturday. Joel Taylor was missing through illness while Liam Truslove stood down to the bench for Bradley.

Stephen Jordan was the first to test a keeper when the Harriers Brandon Hall palmed his cross come shot over the bar to keep Chorley from opening the scoring. Jason Walker also had a shot for the hosts that was blocked away by James O’Connor before we then had a valid call for a penalty when Joe Ironside was pushed over in the area but the referee waved the calls away.

Chorley again had another sight of the goal when Ryan Croasdale managed to get in the way of a shot from Josh Wilson and then found himself in the book soon after for a high tackle. Our first real chance of the game came for Ironside but his header, from James McQuilkins corner, was too high over the bar to get any hopes up. Fraser Horsfall did exactly the same a few minutes later when his header from a corner was also aimed too high.

Maybe after the break things might improve.

HT: 0 – 0

Within a minute of the restart the referee had dished out yet another yellow card and again it was to a Harriers player. Horsfall was the recipient this time for a routine foul. You know the kind? the ones the opposition players never seem to get.

We had the first attempt on goal for this half when Elton N’Gwatala made some space for himself and aimed goalwards but the Chorley keeper Matt Urwin had a strong hold of it. 

The game was bogged down in midfield with neither side looking able to break the deadlock. The hosts were content to pack the centre of the park out and hoist long balls to non-existent forwards while we were chasing round sending the long balls back from whence they were launched. As always it wasn’t pretty watching Chorley play but you just knew they only needed one chance to break away and score and it would be all over.

Did I mention we had another player booked? Yes, this time Lee Vaughan found his name in the book for a normal, strong tackle.

It was time to change it around a bit and Dan Bradley, having no luck out wide, made way for Andre Wright to come on. It might have made more sense to exchange him with Sam Austin instead so that we could get some balls into the box for Ironside to make use of but he would have been fouled anyway.

A couple more chances for both sides occurred with Stephen Jordans’ effort through a crowd of bodies being saved easily by Hall while N’Gwatala again skied one over the bar. That was the end of the game as a football match and the all in wrestling took over.

Andre Brown was grappled to the floor by Challoner and tried to extricate himself but stupidly used his elbow to do so and it all began to kick off. Challoner retaliated with everyone expecting red cards being handed out but the ref was sensible about it – mainly because he hadn’t actually seen what happened – and gave out a yellow to each player instead. With that Challoner followed Brown across to the dugouts and it all kicked off again.

The referee stood and waited until it all calmed down. Did what he had to do and then gave the game another minute before blowing his whistle early.

Now we await the FA’s verdict on it all but no doubt we’ll come off worst.

FT: 0 – 0

Talk about the game here and phone the Harriers Hotline on 01905 577 777 after the game too

Latest table and stats here

Chorley FC	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Urwin
Challoner
Beesley
Teague
O’Keefe
Jordan
Wilson
Witham			58
Carver
Walker			82
Cottrell
Subs:
Leather			82
Anson
Brewster			58
Roscoe
Mooney
Harriers	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Hall
Vaughan
Pearson
Croasdale
Horsfall
O’Connor
Bradley			69
McQuilkin
Ironside
N’Gwatala
Brown
Subs:
Palmer
Wright			69
Truslove
Williams
Austin
Referee:
Mr Benjamin Speedie
Liverpool