King's Lynn defeat Chorley to stay top of National League North
King's Lynn Town 2 Chorley 0
King's Lynn Town regained the winning thread in the National League North with a 2-0 victory over Chorley this afternoon.
Jordan Ponticelli headed Lynn in front with his fifth goal of the season on the stroke of half-time before Adam Crowther sealed the points with his first goal for the club 18 minutes from time.
The victory kept Lynn top of the table – a point ahead of Darlington who they host at The Walks in a fortnight's time.
Injury forced Lynn into one change from the side that demolished Kettering Town in the FA Cup last weekend as Aaron Jones came in for midfielder Theo Widdrington.
Widdrington's absence saw Cameron Hargreaves return to the Lynn midfield with Jones lining up on the right side of a flat back four.
The woodwork twice came to Chorley's rescue in the opening 12 minutes.
Olly Scott saw his free-kick come back off the crossbar after a foul by Jon Ustabsi on Aaron Jones down the right.
Five minutes later, Barrett played the ball into the path of Ben Stephens whose first time effort from 20 yards also rattled the bar.
Lynn continued to dominate the opening quarter and a superb save from Matt Urwin denied Jordan Ponticelli on the half-volley.
Chorley's first opportunity came midway through the first half as Paul Jones pushed Ustabasi's effort over his bar after the Magpies' frontman had ghosted into a pocket of space.
Lynn continued to create openings as Urwin parried away a long-range effort from Jones and Barrett's cross from the right was claimed by the visiting shotstopper with Ponticelli waiting to pounce.
The opening goal duly arrived on the stroke of half-time as Barrett delivered a dinked ball in and Ponticelli guided the ball into the net with his head.
A Hargreaves centre flashed across the face of the Chorley goal at the start of the second half as Lynn went in search of a safety net.
It didn't arrive and twice in quick succession Chorley wasted glorious chance to restore parity.
Ustabasi headed a Adam Blakeman free-kick over the woodwork and shortly after Joe Nolan was denied by Paul Jones when he should have scored.
The reflexes of Urwin denied Lynn a second through Barrett and that was the last seen of the home playmaker as he was replaced a minute later by Kyle Callan-McFadden.
A combination of Josh Coulson and Paul Jones thwarted Chorley's Connor Hall as the visitors continued to test Lynn's nerves in the second period.
But Lynn gave themselves some breathing space as Coulson saw his header cleared off the line-up before Crowther stabbed home the follow-up after an almighty scramble in the box.
King's Lynn Town (4-3-3): P. Jones; A. Jones, Crowther, Coulson, Scott; Stephens (Keller 90), Clunan, Hargreaves; Barrett (Callan-McFadden 63), Ponticelli (Charles 77), Omotayo. Subs not used: Knowles, and Siggers.
Scorers: Ponticelli 45, Crowther 72.
Chorley (4-3-3): Urwin; Henley, Blakeman, Wilson (Smith 67), Leather; Nolan, Calveley, Tomlinson (Owens 67); Ustabasi, Whitehouse, Hall. Subs not used: Smith, Challoner, Shenton, Johnson.
Attendance: 871.
