CHORLEY secured a record 17th Lancashire Challenge Trophy but they were made to work hard by Lancaster City.

Matt Jansen’s side were strong favourites to claim glory at Bolton’s Macron Stadium, but City, two divisions below Jansen’s National League North outfit, put up superb resistance.

Chorley twice had to come from behind to force a penalty shootout, and they held their nerve from the spot to finally break the spirit of their Evo-Stik First Division North opponents.

Chorley were behind inside two minutes. Sam Ashton saved Ricky Mercer’s header from a corner, but Zach Clark was free to tap home from a couple of yards.

The Magpies dominated possession after that early setback but James Dean, Jack Lynch and Andy Teague were off target with difficult headers before the pressure was rewarded on 37 minutes when Jake Cottrell’s half volley from the edge of the area found the back of the net.

But parity lasted barely a minute, with Craig Carney rifling a 20 yard shot past Ashton.

The Magpies should have been level three minutes after the break but Hale blocked Dean's shot. City were looking dangerous on the counter and Chorley had a let off on 55 minutes. Dale Whitham’s 25-yard free kick hit the wall and Clark countered with a mazy dribble before playing Ryan Winder in, but his shot hit the bar.

At the other end, Hale produced a brilliant fingertip save to turn over Adam Roscoe’s fierce drive.

The Dolly Blues were continuing to look dangerous on the break and Clark’s clipped header from Jacob Gregory’s cross was saved by Ashton, while at the other end Darren Stephenson, on for James Dean, saw his header saved by Hale.

It was end-to-end stuff and Ashton kept Chorley in it on 70 minutes with a stunning reflex save with his foot to deny Billy Akrigg from close range.

That save proved vital two minutes later when Chorley were awarded a penalty for handball after Mercer had blocked Connerton’s header. Stephenson’s spot kick was saved by Hale, but he reacted quickest to bury the rebound.

It was all Chorley now. Roscoe fired just wide from 25 yards before Jack Dorney volleyed over from inside the box.

But they couldn’t find a winner and it went to penalties, and Ashton saved two spot kicks while Lynch, Stephenson and Paul Jarvis scored to secure victory for the Magpies.

 

Chorley: Sam Ashton, Mark Ross, Kieran Charnock (Paul Jarvis 61), Andy Teague, Jake Cottrell, Adam Roscoe, Jack Lynch, Dale Whitham, Jordan Connerton, James Dean (Darren Stephenson 53), Jack Dorney

 

Lancaster City: Mike Hale, Rob Henry, Gavin Clark, Tom Watson, Neil Marshall, Ricky Mercer, Ryan Winder, Billy Akrigg, Zach Clark (Terry Cummings 85), Craig Carney (Jacob Davis 90), Jacob Gregory (Tom Kilifyn 81)