Goalless draw with Warrington preserves Lancaster City unbeaten start

A goalless draw with Warrington Rylands saw Lancaster City maintain their unbeaten start to the Northern Premier League season.

Just like on Saturday away at Blyth Spartans, Lancaster City started the game the more brightly at Giant Axe.

New signing from FC United of Manchester Aaron Bennett saw the first real chances of the game, forcing a save from Luke Pilling and for some last gasp defending almost had a golden chance a couple of minutes later.

With the ball being forced in the goal and disallowed and a flurry of more corners you would be forgiven to think that a goal would be forthcoming, but on the night the performance of Luke Pilling was outstanding.

Another save from the effort of Charlie Bailey and another cluster of set pieces it felt like it would take something special to get past him, which came on 21 minutes.

A corner came over from Sam Bailey, with Aaron Fleming making his first start of the season since joining the club teed up Nic Evangelinos. His effort beat Pilling, but with a sense of déjà vu from the game at Blyth it came back off the crossbar.

Having withstood heavy pressure from the start it wasn’t until the 27th minute the visitors had a chance, with Sam Burns firing high and wide after Ntumba Massanka had set the striker up.

As the game was heading towards half time it was Luke Pilling again making crucial saves, this time from a Harrison Beeden effort and a header from Dom Lawson.

Just before Halftime, Ntumba Massanka found himself in space in the box and slots it home, however he is adjudged to be offside, and it is goalless at the break.

After the break, Massanka was played in by James Baillie, but he saw his effort blocked.

More pressure from the visitors as James Baillie got into a good position again, but Luke Porter missed the chance to control it for a shot on goal and the best chance of the night for Warrington Rylands came on 61 minutes.

Sam Burns drove into the box and as the Dollies defence dropped off, his shot was saved by James McLenagahan.

Jake Burton then saw his shot wide, and the Dollies stood firm to that wave of pressure before Aaron Bennett was replaced by Tom Kilifin.

As both defences were winning the battles it wasn’t until the 84th minute Lancaster saw the next big chance.

Sam Bailey lobbed a free kick to the back post where Dylan Moonan knocked it back to Nic Evangelinos who got the shot off which was blocked.

Both sides traded off half chances off set pieces, before Tom Kilifin was played through only to be thwarted by the Rylands defence and at the other end Aaron Fleming prevents a Rylands counter of their own.

The result means the Dolly Blues are still unbeaten this season with one win and three draws and a first clean sheet of the season too.

Matlock Town are the visitors to Giant Axe on Saturday 24th August.