Lancaster City snatch draw at Prescot Cables to maintain unbeaten start

Lancaster City rescued a point in Merseyside to preserve their unbeaten start to the Northern Premier League season.

The game was a scrappy and cagey affair at times and both halves were slow burners, with the first real chance coming ten minutes in.

The hosts’ number 11 Finlay Cross Adair was through on goal but fired his effort the wrong side of James McClenaghan’s far post.

Not long after, both Aaron Fleming and Aaron Bennett tested Prescot’s defence but they stood firm, and did so again four minutes later when Nic Evangelinos tried his luck after nice partnerships with Sam Bailey and Dylan Moonan, but his effort was charged down.

Dom Lawson, looking for a third goal in as many games, headed just over from Sam Bailey’s inviting cross on the right-hand side.

Cross-Adair threatened again for Prescot, this time with James McClenaghan being worked in the Lancaster net, getting down low to save the forward’s fizzing effort.

On the 33rd minute, the home side took the lead through Nathan Koehler, who headed the ball home after a corner delivery.

The Dolly Blues were keen not to end the half on that note though, they played some lovely football down the middle combining Charlie Hall, Aaron Bennett and eventually Nic Evangelinos, whose half volley was just over.

With seven minutes to go until the break, Finley Cross-Adair was sent off for Prescot in an unusually underplayed fashion, supposedly for an altercation with a Lancaster City player.

Aaron Fleming sent in a low cross for Dom Lawson on the stroke of half time, but the number nine couldn’t quite get his shot off cleanly as Nathan Koehler was closing him down, working as hard at the back as he was in front of goal.

The second half took some time to get going, with both teams using two of their substitution windows within the first 15 minutes of the 45 in an attempt to breathe new life into the game.

One of the new entrants onto the field was Lewis Mansell, whose effort from a corner was tipped over by former Lancaster ‘keeper Andre Mendes.

Marcus Cusani came on for his competitive debut in a City shirt after a frustrating time out with injury, his defence-splitting pass ended up at the feet of Nic Evangelinos, who could only fire the ball at Mendes’ outstretched boots.

The game was threatening to fizzle out up until the final ten minutes or so, but very few expected the next goal to come in the way that it did.

One or two Lancaster players had tried speculative efforts in the second half but none of them had struck the ball anywhere near as cleanly as Aaron Bennett did from just over 20 yards out.

He picked the ball up and let fly, sending the ball to the centre right of the goal and beyond the palms of Andre Mendes, to net his first competitive goal for Lancaster City.

Prescot substitute Lewis Gilroy almost made an instant impact for the hosts but his effort from a free kick delivery was well held by James McClenaghan.

City had got a late equaliser but they were still looking for more, Sam Bailey fired low towards goal in a crowded box with just seconds remaining but saw his effort cleared off the line.

The full time whistle signalled the extension of the Dolly Blues’ unbeaten start to the league campaign, the late goal once again showing Lancaster City’s ‘never say die’ attitude.

Up next for Chris Willcock’s side, who remain seventh in the NPL Premier Division, is a trip up to the North East to take on Hebburn Town, another side who are new to the division for this season, this Saturday, 21st September.