AN under strength Chorley were soundly beaten by in-form Fleetwood at Broadwater on Saturday.

The visitors had Heaton, Mawdesley, Senior and Woods all missing from their line-up and were always struggling after being inserted by home skipper John Wright.

On a difficult pitch Chorley openers Tom Smith and Jack Catterall managed to stay together until the 21st over but run scoring was proving extremely difficult against the accurate Fleetwood attack.

Smith's 24 was eventually the innings' top score while Catterall and Michael Critchley were the only other batsmen to reach double figures, while Dave Fish was the home side's star performer taking six wickets for 23 runs.

Early wickets were needed if Chorley were to defend their modest total and they thought they had one in the first over when Stephen John had a strong LBW appeal against Wright turned down. Wright certainly made good his escape going on to play a captain's knock of 55 before John had a considerable less convincing LBW short upheld.

The Chorley professional strove manfully to engineer an unlikely win picking up all four wickets to fall at a cost of 24 runs,

But no one else could achieve any success as Fleetwood scooted past the target in the 24th over.

The result leaves Chorley in fifth spot while Fleetwood are now in third place and, with a game more to play than top two Netherfield and Morecambe, are looking a decent bet for the title.

Chorley are at home to Lancaster on Saturday.