Blyth Spartans 0 Chorley 0 RELEGATION-threatened Chorley remain unbeaten under new boss Dalton Steele - but they need more than the three draws picked up so far.

Even the dismissal of Blyth's Tony Skedd for an apparent elbow offence just before half-time failed to tip the scales Chorley's way in an evenly contested game.

And the victim of the challenge, influential midfielder Eddie Hussin, who failed to reappear for the second half, was sorely missed by the Magpies.

Both keepers were quickly into action, turning shots over the bar, with Tony Carroll twice denied for Chorley.

Carroll later headed down to Steve Shaughnessy who fired over the bar and the same player was again too high from Winfield Steele's prompting.

In between these efforts, Chorley had an escape when Skedd raced clear and drew Marsh from goal only to shoot wide.

The second half saw both defences keeping a tighter hold on proceedings and scoring chances were few.

Steve Locker wasted Blyth's best opening on the hour, cutting inside and firing past Marsh - but off target.

Chorley had a golden chance to snatch the spoils in stoppage time when nippy substitute Steve Jones' cross was headed out straight to Colin Potts. But the Magpies' substitute could not improve on the afternoon's generally careless marksmanship and thumped the ball wide.

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