Lancaster City  4 - Radcliffe Borough 0:

FARRELL FIRES CITY FORWARD

Lancaster brushed aside Radcliffe Borough at The Giant Axe to go further ahead at the top of the Unibond First Division North. A double from Adam Farrell, Jordan Connerton’s 33^rd of the season and Max Rothwell’s first goal for The Dolly Blues was too much for the visitors.

Lancaster got off to a flying start, scoring after just 2 minutes. City debutant Jerome Watt showed good determination on the left wing before lofting into the box for Adam Farrell to head in from close range.

Play was then held up for a few minutes when linesman Ian Hussin was injured. Shortly afterwards, Jonathan Smith took a knock and play was again stopped, which was why there were seven minutes of first half stoppage time.

On the half hour mark Lancaster went two up when Guy Heffernan threaded a lovely through ball to Mike Rushton. The winger then cut back for Jordan Connerton to stroke home, that goal being his 24^th in the league.

Connerton then exchanged a one-two with Adam Farrell, but the first goalscorer hit straight at ‘keeper Lloyd Rigby. However Farrell did get his second in stoppage time when Watt slid in Jarvis, who squared for Farrell to volley past Rigby.

Boro almost pulled one back two minutes later, Gary Sampson’s shot from inside the box took a slight deflection of a City defender, yet referee Bob Pollock gave a goal kick, much to the dismay of Sampson and his team-mates.

 

In the second half City skipper Andrew Teague had two half chances to wrap the game up, the first one was a header from Adam Farrell’s corner. The header wasn’t connected with properly and ran through to Mike Rushton at the back post, who stood it up to Teague, but his volley was blocked and went for another corner. Radcliffe gave Lancaster a scare in a scramble in the six-yard box, Ben Wharton the coming closest to getting the ball in the net. Then Max Rothwell, a substitute for Jerome Watt, got the goal he’s been waiting for all season.

 

The ball rolled to him on the edge of the box and he curled it into the top corner, a great way to get his first goal. Ten minutes after that goal another debutant came on for Lancaster, Ben Elliot replacing Jordan Connerton. Elliot went to right back while Guy Heffernan pushed up into midfield.

 

Lancaster’s victory moves them six points ahead of Skelmersdale United in 2^nd place with 3 games in hand. Colwyn Bay have the same points tally as Skelmersdale and are only third because of goal difference, having played one less game and still have to play Lancaster twice.

 

Lancaster City: Martin Fearon, Guy Heffernan, Neil Marshall, Andrew Teague, Jonathan Smith, Chris Ward, Mike Rushton (Mark Jackson, 76), Jerome Watt (Max Rothwell, 62) Jordan Connerton (Ben Elliot, 82), Paul Jarvis.

 

Radcliffe Borough: Lloyd Rigby, Alistair Brown, Ben Manning, Martin Forrest (James Mullineux, 60), Shaun Connor, Steve Howson (Simon Kelly, 60), Gary Sampson (Tom Brookes, 73), Mark Jones, Ben Wharton, Adam Roscoe, Eddie Stanford.

 

Lancaster City: Farrell - 2, 45, Connerton - 30, Rothwell - 72

 

Ryan McMenamin
Tuesday 16th February 2010

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