Second half strike secures Stockton victory for Lancaster City

An early second half Dom Lawson strike won Lancaster a hard fought and battling three points in the Northern Premier League Premier Division on Tuesday night.

There were three under 23s who were named among the substitutes, with Matthew Sharp, Spencer Davis and Henry Brownlie in line to make their debuts.

Matty Tweedley was also involved on the bench with the midfielder stepping up his return from injury.

The first real opportunity came the way of the Dolly Blues. Sam Bailey recycled a cleared long throw and went infield to Steven Yawson before the winger's first time effort flashed just wide of the bottom corner.

Just before the break, Yawson came close again, firing just wide after a S.Bailey free kick fell into his path.

The Dolly Blues opened the second half in perfect fashion as they broke the deadlock.

Continuing where he left off from the interval, S.Bailey knocked a free kick into Joe Amison, whose goalbound header was pushed out by the goalkeeper. Brad Moonan looked to stab it home but was also denied. However, the ball fell into the path of Lawson who made no mistake in forcing the ball into the net.

The Dollies were almost in wonderland 15 minutes later, as a first time James Bailey effort from close range rebounded off the post after the attacker connected perfectly with a James Nolan square ball.

J.Bailey did well to anticipate a pass backwards to the goalkeeper, intercepting it in the penalty area. He angled to shoot, but opted to instead square it to Nolan who was flying in, only for defender Harley Dawson to make a crucial sliding intervention.

Lancaster continued their search for a second, as Yawson raced onto a great ball from S.Bailey and beared down on goal. The advancing goalkeeper forced him wide, but Yawson was still able to get a shot off. However it was parried away from goal by the palms of Nathan Harker.

With ten minutes to go, Stockton began to get bodies forward. After winning a free kick on the edge of the area, Josh Scott rifled it into the wall, but that wasn't the biggest scare the Dollies would have.

In the 92nd minute Brad Kelly was called into action, expertly denying substitute Paul Rooney in a one-on-one.

The result sends us up to 10th, just two points behind the play-offs.

Attention now turns to Saturday's game where Lancaster are at the Giant Axe once again, hosting Leak Town.

Lancaster: Kelly, S.Bailey, Thompson, Amison, B.Moonan, Fofana, Nolan (Tweedley 77'), J.Bailey, Lawson (Brownlie 77'), Yawson (Moore 88')

Stockton Town: Harker, Brown (Rooney 67'), Watson (Thompson 67'), King, Nicholson, Coulthard, Scott, Painter, Nouble, Petitjean (Dawson 67'), Gallacher (Young 79')