CHORLEY'S celebrations in qualifying for the UniBond League promotion play-offs were tinged with sadness following the sudden death of popular chairman Jack Kirkland prior to the crucial match at Stocksbridge.

Kirkland, who was 74 and had been chairman at Victory Park for eight years, since the club was purchased by local millionaire Trevor Hemmings, died in the early hours of Saturday morning after complaining of feeling unwell.

Club secretary Mick Wearmouth said that Kirkland had been at the ground as usual during the week but had been particularly upset having watched Chorley's defeat at Bamber Bridge on Easter Monday, which he felt had almost certainly cost the club its chance of a place in the play-offs.

Vice-chairman Brian Pilkington, the former Burnley and England winger, will take over as chairman for the time being.

Meanwhile controversy and uncertainty surrounds Chorley's play-offs semi-final against Premier Division Gateshead, scheduled for tomorrow evening.

The UniBond League have ruled that Gateshead's temporary home ground at South Shields is not suitable for play-offs matches and that the Tynesiders must surrender home advantage.

They have therefore ordered the match to be played at Chorley's Victory Park.

But Gateshead lodged a formal protest with the FA on Friday and this is to be considered today by a three-man commission meeting in London.

Chorley secretary Mick Wearmouth said that Gateshead had been in touch with him to explain that they felt they had to act in the best interests of the club. He added that the delay in confirming the venue might lead to the match being put back by 24 or even 48 hours.

But if it was delayed until Thursday, Chorley would protest that the winners would not have the same recovery time to prepare for Saturday's final as the winners of the other semi-final between Radcliffe Borough and North Ferriby United, which will be played as scheduled tomorrow.

The game at Stocksbridge Park Steels saw Chorley win 4-1 and early nerves were settled on 23 minutes as Paul Varley drove in a low cross which Danny Mills slid home.

Favourable news elsewhere brought further elation from a sizeable away following, although keeper Lee Bracey had to do well to deny Duanne Beckett soon after.

Chorley remained in charge, and a second goal arrived as Ian Barker's right wing cross picked out Darren Emmett for a looping header home.

The pressure continued, with Mills and sub Dean Butterworth next to go close. Yet a dodgy spell followed as Chorley's focus temporarily slipped.

The lead was halved on 72 minutes as sub John Beggs found James Tevendale, whose shot eluded Bracey.

But that only served to inspire the visitors, and although the keeper turned away a Mills effort, sub David Eatock's resultant corner was only half cleared and Mills blasted through a crowded area to make it 3-1 on 79 minutes.

Five minutes from time Mark Molyneaux's Chorley put the icing on the cake as a quickly taken Eatock free-kick found Wilkinson, who drilled low past several Steels' legs and in.