Lancaster City’s unbeaten home run comes to an end

Lancaster City lost for the first time this season at home in the Northern Premier League against Leek Town.

The dominant start for City was personified inside the opening ten minutes as Dom Lawson rectified his loss of possession on the right flank before finding Sam Bailey who swung in a delicate ball to the unmarked Evangelinos who glanced his header just wide of Dino Visser’s right post.

The first opportunity for the visitors Cameron the 20 minute mark in the form of Oliver Harrison. Following the awarding of a free kick on the left flank, Lucas Weir sent his cross into the box where Harrison towered above everybody else to direct his header goal wards, however, his effort could only land on the roof of James McClenaghan’s goal.

Lancaster City continued their fast start with inform Aaron Bennet at the forefront. A lofted ball from a deep position allowed Bennet to chase down the ball with Ollie Heywood hot on his tail. An initially poor touch from the centre half allowed Bennet to close down on Visser who beat the number ten in a foot race on the edge of the box.

Lancaster City’s fine start continued as Nic Evangelinos came close to opening the scoring after 27 minutes. Sam Bailey spotted the intelligent run of Evangelinos inside the area and lofted his pass to him, a sharp turn from the striker faced him up against Visser who denied the Evangelinos by tipping a well struck effort over the bar despite the angle being against the City man.

The game became a slightly scrappy affair with both sides struggling to find the killer pass to unlock the defence. Shortly after the half hour mark, James McClenaghan was forced into a fantastic save to deny Lucas Weir’s long race effort who took attacking matters into his own hands.

The final and best chance for City to open the scoring came on the stroke of half time. Aaron Bennet picked the ball up from inside his ow half and went on a one man mission before laying of Sam Bailey whose first time ball into the box was met by Dom Lawson, flicking his header behind to Dylan Thomspon who forced Visser into a quick reaction save with his feet before the visitors cleared the danger ahead of Dom Lawson potential scoring the rebound.

In the opening stages of the second 45, City seemed to lack the intensity of the first half allowing the visitors and more specifically Max Woodcock time on the ball. In the 57th minute, it was Woodcock who opened the scoring after Joe Woolley picked the ball up on the edge of the box after lacklustre defending from City. He drove to the byline before squaring the ball across the box where Max Woodcock was alone and able to tap home for the visitors.

Following the goal, the visitors were able to nullify any City attack forcing the Dolly Blues to grow frustrated. In the closing stages of the game, Lewis Mansell came lose to netting his first Lancaster City goal after a poor ball back to Visser was intercepted by Mansell, he looked to catch the’ keeper off his line but his lofted effort bounced inches wide of the far post.

The visitors produced the last action of the game as second half substitute Tyreece Onyeka picked the pocket of Pat Allington and broke into the box. He too, like Mansell moments before, looked to oft the ball over the head of an out of position James McClenaghan but the effort bounced wide.

Up next for the Dolly Blues is an FA Trophy third round qualifying tie away to NPL Division One West side Clitheroe.