CHORLEY hope to book a place in the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy final for a second successive year when they take on Holker Old Boys in the semi-final at Leyland tonight.

The 15-time winners of the competition made the 2014 final but were comprehensively beaten by rivals AFC Fylde at Bolton’s Macron Stadium, losing 4-1.

The Magpies will be heavy favourites to go one better than that time this time around with the holders already out, meaning Garry Flitcroft’s Conference North outfit are the highest-ranked team left in the competition by some distance.

Semi-final opponents Holker are currently fifth in the North West Counties First Division, 88 places below Chorley in the English footballing ladder.

In the other semi-final, Atherton Collieries are second in the North West Counties First Division and their opponents, Clitheroe, are 12th in the Evo-Stik League First Division North.

But Chorley manager Flitcroft knows he cannot allow complacency to creep in and, despite hinting at changes to his starting XI, insisted he will be expecting a difficult game.

“When you’re winning games and playing well the lads want to play every single game,” Flitcroft said.

“I’ve said to them we’ve had some good results lately and the lads who have played make sure that they keep their shirts.

“We’ve been good of late and we’re having a good season.”

Chorley beat Barrow 2-1 in the second round thanks to goals from Jack Lynch and Dale Whitham before thrashing AFC Darwen 7-1 in the quarter final as John Hine and Jack Dorney both grabbed a brace with Chris Simm, Jack Lynch and an own goal rounding off the scoring.

Flitcroft expects midfielder Paul Jarvis to be fit, for tonight’s tie but the game comes too early for defender Adam Dodd, who should be back in action sooner rather than later according to the manager.

The former Blackburn Rovers midfielder was disappointed to see his side lose 2-1 at home to Gloucester City in league action on Saturday, but insists the Magpies are still in a good position to challenge for successive promotions having won the Evo-Stik Premier Division last season.

He said: “If we win our games in hand we’re right in it.

“It’s a shame we lost on Saturday because the teams around us lost too so it has to go down as a missed opportunity.

“We’re in a great position with a strong squad and the lads are full of confidence.”