Chorley make gaffe on Twitter whilst reporting on match

Chorley make a gaffe that had fans laughing on social media site Twitter whilst reporting on their National League North match on Saturday.

Just one fixture in the division was able to go ahead at the weekend with the rest postponed due to the snow, frozen pitch, Covid or refusal.

Conditions were fine for league leaders Gloucester City and their game against the FA Cup heroics which ended up playing out to a 1-1 draw.

The 29th minute saw Tommy O’Sullivan float a free kick into the box and Gold Omotayo flicked it beyond Matt Urwin into the corner to put the hosts ahead.

Chorley responded positively, and should have been in the lead going into the break when Jon Ustabasi brought the best out of Lovett with a point blank header, and then Arlen Birch skied his shoot after Ustabasi and Elliot combined to set him up inside the box.

Cardwell and Ustabasi were close to getting deserved equalisers, though is came down to Elliot Newby the have a shot round Lovett to level up the scoreline.

Subtitute Connor Hall almost got a winner as the was clock running down, with Lovett equal to his effort, while at the other end, Kevin Dawson saw two shots saved – one by Urwin and the rebound by Andy Halls.

Out of all of Chorley’s match updates tweeted, their one in injury time got the most reaction, leaving many fans laughing.

The Magpies wrote: “990’+2 O’Sullivan hits a corner in and it’s cleared (1-1)” and of course the mistake if you hadn’t already noticed was the match time stated.

990’+2 O’Sullivan hits a corner in and it’s cleared (1-1)

— Chorley FC (@chorleyfc) February 13, 2021

Fans couldn’t help but react as Chorley make the gaffe on Twitter whilst reporting on the match, see what they had to say below…

@adamcunliffe7: Some stamina in the lads

@wba_jacob: long game lads

@daisy_ht1: Long second half

@meaden_harley: 990 mins jesus long game Lads

@12knellj: 990 mins!!!

@lfctomo84: Longest match in history

@ConnorMelton16: Long 2nd half there lads 😂

@Adam_WBAFC: Its been a long second half then

@Jamiec_bfc: Big rotation needed in the next game this has been a long fucking game

@gutted27: Is this like when cup are replayed again and again until someone wins? This is right at the end of the 11th game!

@benbwfc1: jesus lads how long is the added time

@n13__1: we playing next goal wins and nobody has scored?

@nonleaguelounge: Credit to the Chorley lads for continuing for 990 minutes. A true demonstration of how far non-league players are coming fitness wise.

@Not_Ben_10: Long ass game

@BrianBaggley: Fucking hell, thats hell of a long game

@Darlojames1: Blimey that’s a long second half

@ReganEveringha1: When your on your 26th 1 on 1 in the champions league final in your back garden and still can’t score

@WigginBairn: How long has this game being going on for!?

@WHUFCJAMES02: These lot have some stamina on them playing for 990 minutes fucking hell

@BrfcJimbo23: There’s extra time and then there’s this

@LiamKni00: Christ that’s a long match

Meanwhile, Gloucester City chairman Alex Petheram proposes a “mini-league” as mentioned in a letter sent on how to allow teams to keep playing.

Voting is currently underway on whether to continue or null and void the season with clubs gradually picking their option and announcing them in a club statement.

A rough look at how it’s panning out these the last couple of days has 17 teams from Step 2 in favour of ending the season and 15 against. Ten of the clubs are said to be against continuing play in the National League North.

Whatever the outcome, it is likely to be contentious. Some teams have strongly argued against having to play, which incurs costs and heightens the risk of players and staff catching the coronavirus. Others want to continue to preserve the integrity of the football pyramid and to not waste the National Lottery grant money or taxpayers’ money through the furlough scheme.

Petheram therefore simply proposes that teams who want to play do so, and teams who do not want to play, stop. The teams who continue can battle for promotion places in two “mini-leagues” with the finals played at Gloucester.

He said: “I’m still very keen to find a resolution that isn’t as ‘final’ as making clubs that don’t want to play, play – the reasons for which I fully understand and accept – and stopping clubs that want to play football. As for me, they both have financial issues.

“I understand why some clubs aren’t prepared to, or can’t, work with Sport England to try to gain a grant, loan or blended option.

“On the other hand, there are clubs like ourselves that don’t want to stop playing football and, in my opinion, waste taxpayers’ money via the furlough scheme.

“For me, the job retention scheme us exactly that – job protection for companies that can’t trade at their full capacity.

“Elite footballers can play football, so let us play.

“I have seen the concerns of some around the league rules regarding loans and support from Sport England. This for me is a non-point as without Sport England, directors’ loans and the Football Foundation, how would clubs ever build new grounds or undertake ground improvements?

“A copy of this statement will be sent to the National League today and I hope some form of solution can be found that allow clubs to stop if they have already voted to do so, or play on.

“How will that look?

“For example, a promotion-only mini-league – two mini-leagues are formed and finals are played to allow three teams to gain promotion.

“The finals can be played at Gloucester, free of charge to the league and clubs, as we’re in the middle of the country and yo-yo between the North and South (divisions).

“I feel that clubs in the (National League) North especially felt that this vote would be a landslide and it appears that hasn’t happened. So surely this is another potential resolution which saves taxpayers’ money, allows elite football to maintain promotion and relegation between the National League and North/South, and maybe more importantly, looks after all of the National League club members.

“Of course, some will now say that this is just clubs looking after themselves. That’s obvious – that’s what everyone is doing. Every club is only trying to look out for themselves. That’s life. There’s just more than one agenda.

“I owe this to my fans and players at the very least. We’ve been top of the table pretty much all season to date and yes, we want to play and be allowed to dream.”