Lancaster City clear at top of table as winning run continues at Ashton United

Lancaster City moved clear at the top of the Northern Premier League table after their fifth straight win at Ashton United.

Due to dreadful downpours across the North West, there were initially doubts that the game would go the distance, especially given that other games in Greater Manchester - across the pyramid - had fallen foul of the rain.

Terrific work by the Hurst Cross Stadium ground staff ensured that the match was completed with minimal issues, and Lancaster, representing the city in their Ashton Memorial Teal strip, adapted well early on to those difficult conditions.

Dom Lawson’s quick thinking from a throw in on seven minutes allowed Jim Craig to open his body up and angle a low cross along the face of goal but Ashton ‘keeper Jordan Eastham got there first and punched clear.

Craig had another action in the final third a few minutes later, trying an effort from 20 yards out and forcing a routine stop from Eastham.

With a quarter of an hour played, Charlie Bailey won the ball back in the middle of the park, splitting the defence and finding Christian Sloan who angled an equally exquisite pass to Dom Lawson, who bore down on goal and curled an effort past Eastham to give the Dollies the lead.

Charlie Bailey performed some heroics at the back midway through the first 45, blocking Darius Osei’s cross from finding its intended target Jason Gilchrist in the six yard box.

Two minutes after that, City won a corner and it eventually fell to Nic Evangelinos after some pinball in the box, his hit was blocked but Joe Amison followed it up with a powerful strike to double the advantage and open his account for the side he joined in the summer.

Evangelinos went for goal again three minutes later after a great ball by Charlie Bailey but Eastham made a fine stop.

At the other end, Brad Kelly held onto a powerful effort from early, enforced substitute Luca Navarro, City’s number one jumping up to catch the ball which was otherwise destined for the roof of the net.

Two minutes after the break, Lawson saw Eastham off his line down the right flank and went for the spectacular but the ex-Lancaster goalie tracked back and claimed the ball.

Jason Gilchrist had a golden opportunity to halve the deficit for his side with nine minutes of the second half played, he got on the end of a wicked delivery from the right but he got the shot all wrong and it was skied over the bar from about six yards out.

Less than a minute after the Lancaster lead could’ve been reduced, an opportunity for it to be extended presented itself as Dom Lawson was hacked down in the box and the referee pointed to the spot.

Sam Bailey made no mistake from 12 yards, with a low, assured strike into the bottom left corner.

Ashton got one back courtesy of a bizarre and rare defensive mix up from Lancaster: Brad Kelly came to punch an inviting cross away from danger but the ball hit the back of Toby Oliver and rolled in.

That goal briefly raised Robins’ spirits but, a little over the halfway point of the second period, Ashton substitute Ben Horne was shown a straight red mere minutes after his introduction for a reckless challenge on Jim Craig, who was subsequently forced off and will be assessed this week.

The hosts did have their chances before and after that incident: Mikey O’Neill’s effort was deflected and whistled past the post before an intended cross hit the post on its way out.

Brad Kelly produced two fine stops in the final 10 minutes of proceedings to deny Brad Taylor and Willem Tomlinson at his near post, with Darius Osei also firing over the bar in that period.

Substitute Tom Denton thought he’d got the deficit reduced to just the one goal after he bundled the ball into the net but the flag was up for offside against the experienced forward.

Nathan Caine saw a stoppage time drive spin off an Ashton defender and into the path of the returning Lewis Mansell, but he couldn’t keep his effort down.

The referee brought an end to the game shortly after, and the dismal weather did anything but reflect the mood of the Lancaster contingent, whose side sit top of the pile and two points clear of second with exactly 25% of their league season completed.

The Dolly Blues now boast an eight-game unbeaten run in the league.

Saturday’s game marked a milestone for Dylan Moonan, who made his 50th appearance for Lancaster City.

The next task for Jimmy Marshall’s side is the visit of Guiseley to The Giant Axe next Saturday (September 27).