Chorley 3-2 Clitheroe
Partners Foundation Challenge Trophy final
Monday 23rd April
Macron Stadium, Bolton Wanderers FC
Goalscorers: Willoughby (24), Burgess (30), Whitham (71), Brewster (90), West (90)

Chorley eventually made the divisional difference count at the Macron as they defeated Clitheroe in the Partners Foundation Challenge Trophy final to win the competition for a record 18th time.

Kurt Willoughby opened the scoring at the home of Bolton Wanderers with a tidy finish but the Magpies responded shortly after with a Luke Burgess penalty.

Dale Whitham put the National League North side ahead from the edge of the box before Delial Brewster extended the advantage a minute into stoppage time.

To their credit, Clitheroe worked tirelessly and George West’s spectacular volley across the goal form the left will prove as little consolation.

The Blues took the lead as a long ball was met by the head of West in the middle of the Magpies half; Willoughby chased after it and managed to wrestle his way past a covering Ben Lightfoot before calmly lifting the ball over an onrushing Matt Urwin.

The Magpies would be level just six minutes later.

A smart one-two between Matty Hughes and Burgess down the right set the latter through on goal and Michael Samson – who had an otherwise commanding first half – brought down the Chorley no. 10; who picked himself up to slot the penalty home for his first Magpies goal.

Chorley took the lead with 20 minutes to go; a Lee Molyneux cross was cleared into the path of substitute Whitham – who had an excellent game in place of his captain – who dispatched it into the bottom corner.

With Clitheroe pushing for an equaliser, the Magpies countered and Burgess, fresh from scoring his first goal in black and white, played Brewster in on goal who held off the defence to coolly clip the ball into the far corner.

Clitheroe kept going and George West got his rewards for a good display with a brilliant volley across goal from the left side of the box into the top corner on the far side.

Chorley: Urwin, Jack Lenehan (Smith, 53), Lee Molyneux (Farnworth, 78), Lightfoot, Anson, Roscoe (Whitham, 21), Hughes, Gregory, Brewster, Burgess, Darr
Subs not used: Teague, Carver

Clitheroe: Thompson, Gregory, Rigby, Rowlands, Brady, Samson (Tuanzebe, 81), Mitchell, Dent, Willoughby, West, Churchman (Russell, 59)
Subs not used: Bromley, Henson