Poor showing on Boxing Day condemns Dolly Blues to third defeat in a row

In a performance which will not last long in the memory of the Dolly Blue faithful, Lancaster City were very much second best in the Boxing Day encounter against Bamber Bridge.

The game started with a flurry of chances for both sides. Jim Craig stinging the palms of former goalkeeper Aidan Dowling a couple of minutes in, a few minutes later at the other end Olly Molloy couldn't turn a cross in at the back post.

Chances for Sam Bailey for Lancaster and Emerich Poiley for Bamber Bridge before the deadlock was broken on 15 minutes. Skipper Sam Bailey driving into the box, his shot is passed Dowling but crashes into the post, but Dom Lawson was on hand to turn the ball into the goal and put the Dolly Blues ahead.

Simon Grand a couple of minutes later almost made it two with an audacious effort from his own half from a free kick, a back pedalling Aidan Dowling sparing his blushes.

On 27 minutes the scores were level. A Michael Potts free kick found an unmarked Nathaniel Knight-Percival who headed home for his first of the season.

Dylan Moonan's header a couple of minutes later ended up in the back of net, but the referee had adjudged that Dowling was fouled and the goal disallowed. That would be it for clear cut chances for Lancaster but Brig went into half time 2-1 up with Olly Molloy heading home Jack Baxter's cross.

The best chance for the Dollies to get back into it was on 57 minutes, Charlie Bailey playing in Jim Craig who managed to ride the challenge but his shot was just wide of the mark.

Changes were made and substitute Steven Yawson's curling effort was off target, it was game over on 84 minutes as Jamie Allen fired home the rebound from a Bamber Bridge corner, rounding off a disappointing day for Lancaster City.

The defeat, a 3rd in a row and meaning the month of December all three games were losses, combined with the victory for Stockton Town meant that the Dolly Blues drop out of the play-off places for the first time since September.

Next up is the last ever trip to Borough Park, to take on Workington AFC on New Years Day.