Vanarama National League North: Chorley 2 Bradford Park Avenue 2

A LATE brace from second-half substitute James Walshaw banked Avenue a hard-earned point at a strong Chorley side.

It wasn’t a victory for Park Avenue at Victory Park but it must have felt like one as Walshaw’s stoppage-time goal levelled a tight contest.

But stand-in skipper Jon Stewart also did his bit with some good saves to prevent the Magpies taking an unassailable lead after they had caught their visitors cold.

Chorley were at Bradford from the off and opened up a 2-0 lead inside the quarter-hour.

Avenue’s comeback may have been completed late but they felt justice was done after having a strong penalty appeal waved away midway through the second half, and with late chances for Richard Marshall and Massiah McDonald they could even have won it.

It was a very poor start for Avenue as they conceded possession cheaply on the edge of their own area in the third minute and Darren Stephenson made them pay the ultimate price as he steered the ball into the bottom corner from outside the area.

When Stewart claimed a 14th-minute corner, there seemed to be no danger but his attempt to set up a quick counter-attack when badly wrong.

His clearance found Magpies midfielder Mark Ross, who sent the ball back into the box, and Chris Doyle, the big centre back who had come forward for the set-piece, did well to control, turn and net.

Avenue striker Chib Chilaka had a good chance to half the deficit after Danny Schofield's through ball picked him out, but Avenue’s talisman forward fired straight at Magpies’ keeper Sam Ashton.

Stewart’s biggest contribution came soon after when he made himself big as James Dean bore down on him, blocking his shot with his legs before Josh Hine fired the rebound wide of the target.

Avenue’s unsuccessful appeal came on the hour when Chilaka was through on goal and went to ground as he tried to round Ashton.

The referee saw nothing wrong with the Chorley keeper’s challenge, however, much to the annoyance of an animated Drury in the dugout.

They did get their spot-kick when Walshaw played a one-two with fellow substitute McDonald and was fouled from behind.

Walshaw sent Ashton the wrong way from the resulting penalty.

Just eight minutes later, Ashton was back in action as he denied Marshall but there was nothing the home keeper could do about the winner.

Two minutes into stoppage time, Walshaw converted Alex Pursehouse’s excellent cross with an emphatic header.

McDonald had a good chance in the last minute of time added on but a draw was probably fair.