CHORLEY take their first step on the road to the Macron Stadium tonight when they travel to Conference North title rivals Barrow for a Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy second-round tie (7.45pm).

No club has won the trophy more times than the Magpies and in two of the last three seasons they have made the final, traditionally played at the home of Bolton Wanderers.

But you would not blame Garry Flitcroft for having half and eye on this weekend’s league trip to Boston United.

As it was Boston who ended Chorley’s proud unbeaten 14-match unbeaten home run when they ran out 2-1 winners at Victory Park on Saturday.

Magpies manager Flitcroft had no arguments with the final outcome.

But ahead of tonight’s Bluebirds clash, he has reminded his players that they will lose their places if they underperform.

“Some of the lads weren’t at it in the first half but in the second half we had a little bit more pressure and had we got a goal earlier we might have got something out of the game,” said Flitcroft, whose side scored a late consolation through Mark Ross.

“Afterwards we said to the lads that week in, week out, we need all 11 players playing and that’s it a good squad now and that if they don’t play well, they won’t get a place in the team.

“That’s how it goes and now we go again on Tuesday.”

Chorley were not helped on Saturday by the loss of captain and centre back Andy Teague to injury.

On-loan Burnley goalkeeper Danijel Nizic also pulled a thigh muscle.

But with no substitute keeper on the bench, Nizic was forced to play through the pain barrier, with defender Tom Smyth taking over goal-kick duties.

Flitcroft said: “It happened against Halifax (in the FA Cup) and it happened again on Saturday but only worse.

“It’s tough when Tom Smyth is kicking and he has to get it out, it makes it a bit awkward.

“We’ll have to assess Dan. We’re struggling on keepers, and not only that we’re struggling on defenders, so we might have to dip into the loan market.”

Regardless of the fitness of Teague and Nizic, Flitrcoft intends to use tonight’s encounter with Barrow, who sit six points above the Magpies at the top of the Conference North standings, to give some of the players pushing for a place in his starting line-up a chance to stamp their mark.

“It’s game time for the lads and a chance to prove to me they want a place in the team,” he

“So it’s a good game in that way.”

Chorley lost season’s final to AFC Fylde having beaten Kendal Town in the 2011-12 showpiece.