The Pitmen failed to make home advantage pay after Chorley picked up their first ever victory at Keys Park.
Manager Frank Sinclair was forced into one change from the line-up that began the last game with Shelton Payne being unavailable and Paul Ennis coming into the side to replace him.
It was a lively opening to the game with Chorley’s Andy Teague seeing a header blocked by Kennedy Digie in the first minute while Ennis this saw his snapshot fail to trouble goalkeeper Sam Ashton.
Although the visitors were forced into an early change they soon threatened again in the 15th minute when Teague forced Town goalkeeper Dan Crane into a smart save.
A half chance came and went in the 19th minute for Hednesford when Jack Truelove picked out Adam Thomas at the back post but he headed over the bar.
Eight minutes later the best chance of the half for the Pitmen arrived when a flick on by Danny Glover found the winger but his first time effort was brilliantly blocked by Paul Jarvis as it arrowed towards goal.
It would be the visitors that would strike first after 31 minutes though when Jordan Connerton broke though the Pitmen back line and fired past Crane.
As the home side looked to compose themselves they almost fell further behind when first Darren Stephenson saw a goalbound effort headed away by George Cleet before Teague headed narrowly wide of the post in the 34th minute.
Chorley had one final chance in the first half with Jack Lynch whistling an effort wide of the upright two minutes before the break.
Sinclair introduced striker Tom Peers at the break and it was the Chester loanee who almost dragged Town level after 57 minutes when he met Truelove’s cross but his header was straight at Ashton.
Sixty seconds later the Pitmen did score though when the ball fell to Thomas just inside the box and he finished low into the corner for his eighth goal of the season.
The sides would only be level for six minutes though as Chorley re-took the lead in controversial circumstances.
After breaking from a Hednesford corner Thomas was clearly shoved off the ball, but the officials failed to spot the infringement with Paul Jarvis whipping in a cross which was chested home by Dale Whitham from six yards out.
Glover saw a chance come and go in the 70th minute as he just couldn’t stretch enough to head home before Chorley extended their lead a minute later when a long goal kick picked out Connerton and he made no mistake from the edge of the box.
Hednesford tried in vain to find a way back into the game and in the 74th minute they almost got it when, after Sean Williams’ free-kick was cleared away, Peers was played in and although he rounded Ashton the ball was cleared off the line by Teague.
With that ended the chances of the home side of finding a way back into the game and they now head to Lowestoft Town on Tuesday evening in what is a relegation six pointer.
Hednesford Town: Crane, Fitzwater, Truelove, Bailey, Digie, Cleet, Thomas (Trainer 77), Thorley (Peers 46), Glover, Williams, Ennis (Obeng 66)
Subs not used: Ransome, Regan
Chorley: Ashton, Ross, Beesley (Jarvis 10), Teague, Charnock, Roscoe, Lynch (Dorney 68), Whitham, Connerton (Dean 87), Stephenson, Cottrell
Subs not used: Bailey, Field
Attendance: 404
Star Man: Adam Thomas
Entertainment Rating: Three Stars
