CHORLEY gave a spirited account of themselves in an evenly contested UniBond League Challenge Cup third round tie against FA Cup heroes Vauxhall Motors.

However, in the end two smartly-taken goals by Peter Comiskey put the Motormen through to the quarter-finals at the expence of the Magpies.

Chorley had much the better of the opening period, with Vauxhall slow to get into gear and David Eatock poked an early chance just wide before Danny Mills was unlucky to run the ball out of play after skipping past keeper Andy Ralph.

Then Stuart Tulloch should have done better than fire high and wide when left with a clear chance following Mills' excellent run.

At the other end, Chorley keeper Lee Bracey made a fine save from a testing overhead snapshot.

Vauxhall began to impose themselves more on the game as half-time approached but often their final ball was wayward.

Leading marksman Nicky Young wasted one great chance, planting a free header wide from close range.

Chorley fell behind a minute after the break when Robbie Lawton made a forceful run and crossed to Comiskey, whose first effort was beaten out by Bracey who had no chance of saving the same player's well-placed follow-up.

Bracey then did well to keep out a crafty lob from Comiskey before the Magpies equalised on 58 minutes with a memorable strike by Chris Patterson.

Receiving a pass from Ian Bold some 35 yards out, Patterson wrong-footed his marker before unleashing a sizzling low drive which left Ralph standing.

Chorley were denied a penalty on the hour following a clear handball, the referee waving aside their justifiable claims and it was Motors who seized the all-important advantage after 74 minutes.

A superb right-wing cross was met by Comiskey with the sweetest of finishes from the edge of the box, his precise curling shot giving Bracey no chance.

Shortly afterwards Young was perfectly placed to meet a centre from the right but unaccountably scooped the ball over the bar from three yards.

In the closing minutes Chorley were close to an equaliser when Tulloch got in a fine shot which flew inches too high.

Vauxhall had done just enough to win a lively cup-tie with Chorley not sharp enough up front, where striker-in-form Dean Butterworth had a very quiet night.

VAUXHALL MOTORS...2 CHORLEY...1