Clitheroe are just twenty four hours away from their date with destiny, as they face Conference North side Chorley in the Challenge Trophy Final on Monday evening at the Macron Stadium.

Having defeated Lancaster City, Nelson, Bamber Bridge and Atherton Collieries in the previous rounds of the competition, the Blues now face their biggest challenge in years as they face a team two tiers above them.

Facing a side fourty five places above them in the English footballing pyramid, Clitheroe will be huge under-dogs going into the final.

However, the Blues are used to this, having faced Southport of the sixth tier in the Lancashire Co-Operate Challenge Trophy back in 2010.

Starting the Lancashire Challenge Trophy adventure back on the 30th September away at the Giant Axe Stadium. Striker Zach Clark scored four, followed up by Alex Ralph, Sam Hutchinson and Roberto Bonaminio goals during a 7-2 victory against Lancaster City.

Some would say the Blues journey to the Macron Stadium has been fated, with every round having a story behind the win…

Conceding in the third minute against North West-Counties side Nelson at Shawbridge in the third round, a late Danny Brady equaliser and a last minute Andrew Dawber penalty save took the game to a spot-kick lottery, with the Blues eventually winning 4-3. As Dawber saved three of Nelson’s five penalties in the shoot-out.

The next round away at Bamber Bridge was even more nerve wracking, with the Blues winning 2-1 against their rivals at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium.

Goals from Sefton Gonzales and Alex Ralph inside the first three minutes of the game got the Blues support dreaming of a Semi-Final place. Despite a late fight back from the home side, Clitheroe held on and found themselves just ninety minutes from the Macron Stadium.

Last month’s Semi-Final against Atherton Collieries was arguably the biggest game in Clitheroe’s recent history and after Simon Garner was sent for an early bath after half an hour, things didn’t look good.

However, late goals from David Lynch and Louis Mayers gave the Blues a 2-0 victory, meaning the side would play Chorley in Monday’s prestigious final.

After a penalty defeat against NWC side Wigan Robin Park in the first round of last season’s competition expectations weren’t high as the sides lined up to face Lancaster City seven months ago, A lot has changed though and now Garner and co have got the town of Clitheroe dreaming…

In league action, results have been inconsistent to say the least. Saturday’s 8-3 defeat against Spennymoor Town was Clitheroe’s biggest loss in over a decade and wasn’t exactly ideal preparation going into this final game.

A 2-1 victory against promotion chasers Darlington 1883 has been slightly blotted by 4-2 and 8-3 losses in the past seven days, however as they say ‘anything can happen in a final.’

The Blues have now conceded twelve times in their last two games and are without a clean-sheet since the aforementioned victory against Atherton Collieries at Lancashire FA HQ, three weeks ago.

A brace from Ross Dent and a Jay Hart goal against Spennymoor Town meant Clitheroe have now scored two or more goals in their last seven matches, with the side hitting the back of the net seventeen times. With the highlight coming during the 6-4 home win against Kendal Town on Valentine’s Day.

In Challenge Trophy action, Clitheroe have scored twelve times, conceding just four in the process.

In the four cup games, Simon Garner has decided to field three different goalkeepers. With Alex Palffy playing against Lancaster City, Andrew Dawber against Nelson and Bamber Bridge and Zac Hibbert against Atherton Collieries.

With current number one Pete Collinge cup-tied and Dawber back at Accrington Stanley. Palffy and Hibbert will be fighting for the number one jersey, with Palffy keeping the sides last two clean sheets, away at Radcliffe Borough and Prescot Cables.

Ironically, the Blues two top scorers in the competition are no longer at the club. With Clark (4) now at Kendal Town and Ralph (2) un-attached. Out of the current crop of players Garner has to pick from Bonaminio, Mayers, Lynch, Gonzales and Brady all have one goal to their name.

As we mentioned earlier, Clitheroe have graced the turf of Bolton Wanderer’s Macron Stadium (then Reebok Stadium) four years ago, when 1,207 supporters witnessed the Blues put up a valiant fight against Southport before losing.

The Blues side that evening featured Danny Hanford and Danny Williams, now at Carlisle United and Inverness Caledonian Thistle respectively. As well as a fresh faced Simon Garner dictating play in the heart of midfield and a seventeen year old Louis Mayers in the squad.

After a strong twenty minutes, Southport’s quality shone through and three goals in the last twenty minutes of the first-half knocked the stuffing out of the Blues, who eventually went down 4-0 against the Yellows.

Going into the game, Clitheroe have won the Challenge Trophy twice, with their last win coming in 1984/85. However, Chorley are the kings of the competition, winning it an amazing fifteen times, with the last time in 2011/12.

Our opponents Chorley sit two tiers above Clitheroe, with the Magpies having a real chance of gaining promotion to the Conference Premier this season.

The side managed by Blackburn Rovers legend Garry Flitcroft currently sit five points away from Hednesford Town, who currently occupy the final play-off position in the league.

The Magpies also have ample games in hand over the top seven in the division and will be hoping to reach the 5th tier of English football for the first time since the 1989/1990 season.

Since Ken Wright took the Magpies down over a decade ago, the side who play their home games at Victory Park have plied their trade in the NPL Premier, NPL Division One and NPL Division North divisions, before their promotion to the Conference North on the final day of the season last year.

As they piped FC United to the automatic promotion spots by a solitary point.

Watched by 2,832 supporters, Chorley went down 4-1 to local rivals AFC Fylde in last year’s Challenge Trophy final, with one of Fylde’s goals coming from current Magpie Harry Winter.

Flitcroft’s men will surely be out revenge and with the side cruising into the final, Clitheroe will present their toughest challenge yet.

Having played just three rounds in the competition due to their superior league standing, Chorley have overcome Conference North rivals Barrow, before defeating North West-Counties sides AFC Darwen and Holker Old Boys to reach the showpiece.

After beating Barrow away 2-1 in the second round after goals from Lynch and Whitham. Chorley have gone on too score seven against AFC Darwen in a 7-1 victory and finally Holker Old Boys 3-0 in the Semi-Final at Lancashire FA Head-Quarters, Leyland.

These three victories mean Chorley have averaged scoring four goals a game, scoring twelve in three matches, conceding just twice in the process.

Chorley’s top goal scorer in the competition, ironically has Clitheroe connections. Jack Lynch is Blues captain David Lynch’s cousin, with Jack scoring three times in the Challenge Trophy this year.

In the league, since booking their place in the Challenge Trophy final, Chorley have been on a poor run of form. Winning just one of their last seven games (four draws, two defeats and one win.)

In fact, since the turn of the year the Magpies have fallen drastically.

A defence that kept five clean sheets in the first nine league games of the season has kept just three shut-outs in fifteen fixtures since New Year’s Day. The Magpies have conceded ten and scored ten in their last five matches.

The Blues will need to keep concentration levels up for the full game, as Chorley have scored 41% of their fifty eight league goals in the final half hour of matches this season.

With 21.4% of strikes coming between the 60th and 75th minute and 19.6% coming on the 76th and later.

There are many connections between the two sides going into the game. Not only do a number of Clitheroe’s players live and work in Chorley, Louis Mayers father Kenny Mayers is a Chorley legend who signed on at Victory Park for a reported £12,000 fee.

As mentioned before, David Lynch’s cousin Jack Lynch plays for the Magpies. Clitheroe manager Simon Garner used to play for Chorley, as did Blues keeper Zach Hibbert.

Despite both being cup-tied for the game, Laquan Esdaille and Pete Collinge have also had spells playing for the Conference North side.

With tickets available to buy on the gate. Please come down and cheer on Clitheroe in what is set to be our biggest game in years….

TRAVEL TO THE MACRON BY CAR:
Bolton Wanderers Football Club
Macron Stadium
Burnden Way
Bolton
BL6 6JW

From the North -
If travelling down the M6, follow signs for the M61 and leave at Junction 30. Once on the M61, follow signs for Manchester/Bolton and leave at Junction 6 (Macron Stadium should be visible on the left).

Take the first exit off the roundabout onto the A6027, the De Havilland Way. At the next roundabout, take a left turn onto Burnden Way and park in the main stadium visitors' car park.

BY RAIL TO THE MACRON:

Macron Stadium is located approximately 200 metres from Horwich Parkway Station. Trains regularly run from Blackpool and Preston if travelling from the North, and Manchester and Bolton if travelling from the South.

TICKET PRICES: ADULTS - £8. CONCESSIONS/CHILDREN - £4.
KICK-OFF AT 7:45.

If you are not lucky enough to get to the final. There are other way's of staying in touch.

BBC Lancashire are broadcasting the game live on air and James Burch will be running live minute by minute Tweets & Facebook updates before, during and after the game for the club.