CHORLEY'S bid to avenge an earlier FA Cup defeat at the hands of Lancaster proved unsuccessful, as they also crashed out of the UniBond President's Cup.
The main talking points concerned the referee's award of a dubious penalty to each side but the root cause of Chorley's defeat was City's well-drilled defence which readily soaked up whatever pressure the home side could muster.
The Magpies started full of purpose and City were almost undone when David Eatock's pace put him free before he was finally bundled off the ball in the act of shooting.
Danny Mills then screwed a 25-yards snap-shot wide before Lancaster went ahead on 38 minutes from the penalty spot after the referee had spotted a minor infringement beyond the far post following a City corner. Tony Sullivan confidentlydispatched the kick.
City were promptly on the attack after the interval and Jamie Hughes was unlucky to see Billy McCartney drop back to clear his header off the line after the striker had beaten keeper Lee Bracey to a right-wing centre.
However, the Magpies' reprieve only lasted a minute, another splendid cross from the right touchline finding Hughes unmarked at the far post, and he headed a simple goal.
The two-goal cushion looked more than enough for victory, with the City defence operating with its customary, stifling efficiency.
But the hard-working Jamie Vermiglio twice raised Chorley's hopes, first with a downward header which was straight at keeper Kevin Welsby and then with a powerful shot on the turn which the keeper did well to palm aside.
Sullivan ought to have put the issue beyond doubt when a neat build-up left him clear on goal but he placed his shot too close to Bracey who got down well to save.
Debutant Keith Hill, who had a solid game for Chorley, was inches away from turning in an Eatock corner at the back post but the Magpies' persistence was finally rewarded in the fourth minute of added time when the referee again pointed to the spot after Eatock had tumbled under an innocuous-looking challengeas he cut into the box.
It was no more than a consolation but Eatock picked himself up to send Welsby the wrong way with a perfectly executed penalty.
CHORLEY...1
LANCASTER CITY...2
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