The Scholars who weathered the storm for the first half will count themselves unfortunate not to hold on to what would have been only their second clean sheet of the season, writes Paul Mullins.

Chasetown had their moments of attacking possession in the first half, but it was largely Leek Town who dominated the game and on another night could easily have notched on more than one occasion.

Hero of the first half was Chasetown goalkeeper Ryan Price who made an array of splendid stops, amidst some pretty woeful Leek Town finishing on other occasions.

The Scholars went close with a Gary Hay chipped effort over the bar, but it was Price who denied Rob Steventon twice, as well as eventual scorer Tim Grice, while a Steventon header should’ve made it 1-0 just before the half hour following a deep cross from full back Tim Sanders.

The longer the half went on, the more the away faithful felt Chasetown’s name was on the three points. The deadlock was broken inside the final minute of the first half when a short back pass from Sanders had Daniel Lloyd-Weston scurrying out from his goal to kick clear from Tyrone Clarke-O’Connell.

From the ensuing throw in, Danny Smith set up Gary Hay near the left hand post and he unselfishly teed up Dave Egan who drilled a low shot through a crowded goalmouth for his first Scholars goal of his third spell with the club.

The second period was far more even with The Blues pushing on to try and force an equaliser and the pace of Clarke-O’Connell in particular giving The Scholars an important outlet.

In fact, the best chance of the second half came 15 minutes from time. Clarke-O’Connell sprinted down the Chasetown right and his whipped cross was a whisker away from a diving Danny Smith header six yards out.

Dave Bate drilled an effort wide after substitute Jono Gould had assisted with a neat ball on the edge of the area, before the home side almost fashioned a fluky equaliser when a lucky ricochet off two Chasetown defenders fell neatly for Karl Charlton who flashed an effort into the side netting.

The home fans appealed for a couple of spot kicks, more in hope than in expectation, but their boys finally found the breakthrough in the second minute of four minutes of stoppage time. The Scholars had repelled every attack all evening but finally the pressure told and Tim Grice fired through a busy goalmouth to leave Ryan Price no chance.

Manager Craig Harris was quick to praise the effort and determination of his side, particularly after their defeat at the weekend, with performance from stand-in central defender Jack Farmer and winger Clarke-O’Connell not going unnoticed by The Scholars boss.

Chasetown: Price, Downes, Jackson, Farmer, Bate, Teesdale, Westwood, Egan, Hay (Gould, 80 mins), Danny Smith, Clarke-O’Connell

Other subs: Maguire, Branch, Saunders, Evans (not used)