Rangers were unchanged for the third successive game as they looked to continue with their push up the Evostik Premier Division table. High flying Chorley could have taken the lead after just 45 seconds when Chris Denham found himself on the wrong side of the Rangers defence but he dragged his shot wide of Danny Read’s goal. The home side took the lead in the 15th minute when Matt Walwyn found space on the right and hit a first time shot in off the far post. Things went from bad to worse for Rangers just two minutes later when Luke George felled Denham in the penalty area. For the third time in the last four games, Read came to Rangers rescue with a penalty save to thwart Steve Foster. Rangers first attempt came on 20 minutes when Neville Thompson’s snapshot was blocked for a corner. Against the run of play, Rangers grabbed an equaliser in the 36th minute. Neat interplay between Kevin Street and Michael Carr ended up with Carr being unceremoniously blocked by Andy Teague. Carr picked himself up to take the free-kick which took a big deflection off the defensive wall to wrong foot Russ Saunders in the Chorley goal. Chorley regained the lead a minute into time added on when Foster found Walwyn on the left. He controlled the ball with his left cut inside and beat Read at his near post with a fierce right footed drive.

Rangers were back on terms in the 52nd minute when Jon Sheldon floated a free-kick over Saunders and into the roof of the net. Five minutes later, Read was forced into a fine fingertip save to thwart Denham. The game was now end to end and Rangers were next to go close when Chris Morris beat Saunders to the ball but put his shot wide of the empty net. Rangers began to look the side most likely. Another free-kick from Sheldon was headed goalwards by Karl Espley only for the ball to rebound off the outside of the post. The ball was not cleared by the Chorley defence and Street lashed the ball goalwards but he too was thwarted by the woodwork. Morris forced Saunders into a fine full stretch save and then a minute later he beat the Chorley defence and curled a superb shot over the keeper but agonisingly wide. Carr was the next to test Saunders as Rangers continued to press, Saunders saved his best to last when he pulled out a stunning save to palm a free-kick from Sheldon around the post. Both sides went for the win but had to settle for a hard earned draw.

Chorley: Russ Saunders, Mark Ross, Matt Walwyn, Andy Teague, Andy Russell, Jamie Vermiglio (Jordan Bowen 71), Adam Roscoe, Steve Flitcroft, Chris Denham, Steve Foster (John Cunliffe 68), Tom Ince. Subs not used: Wayne Maden, Porya Ahmadi, Ali Brown

Stafford Rangers: Danny Read, Luke George, Ryan Brown, Karl Espley, Ryan Dicker, Michael Carr, Peter Heler, Kevin Street, Chris Morris, Neville Thompson, Jon Sheldon. Subs not used: Paul Donnelly, Glynn Blackhurst, Dan Skelton, Robert Stevenson, Adam Alcock

Booked: Teague, Denham (Chorley), Carr, Morris (Stafford)

Referee: J Hull

Attendance: 1086