Lancaster City 3 - Harrogate Railway Athletic 0:
DOLLY BLUES OPEN GAP AT TOP
Mike Rushton fired Lancaster further ahead at the top of the Unibond First Division North with his 13th and 14th goals of the season. Mark Jackson got a goal late on to clinch the win, although City should have been way out of sight in the first half- well, half an hour.
Lancaster were quick out of the blocks and went ahead in the 3rd minute. Jerome Watt sent a through ball to leading goalscorer Jordan Connerton, who kept calm and squared for Rushton to tap into an empty net.
Dan Thirkell headed into the side netting from a Phil Mitchell’s cross before Adam Farrell headed wide from Guy Heffernan’s driven cross. Jerome Watt squandered an opportunity, slicing wide on the corner of the six-yard box after receiving a pass from Jordan Connerton.
Paul Jarvis beat his man on the left and crossed to Mike Rushton, who would have got his second but for a heavy touch allowing James Mann to come out to block. Adam Farrell has scored a few free kicks this season but he struck one straight at Mann.
Then amazingly, for the third league match in a row involving City, the linesman got injured. Play was held up for seven minutes midway through the first period before a substitute linesman came on.
Adam Farrell set up Rushton’s second, flicking over the back line into Rushton’s path. The latter held off his man well and, even though his final touch seemed to heavy, he just managed slide the ball under Mann.
A Nigel Danby free kick from 30 yards was superbly tipped over by City ‘keeper Martin Fearon. Jerome Watt wasted another chance on the stroke of half time. Jarvis was again the player who provided him with opening but Watt blasted over the bar.
Jarvis had a chance of his own when it fell to him one the edge of the box. His quick feet allowed him to skip past a defender and curl just wide of the post.
Immediately after the restart Rushton could have claimed his hat trick when Connerton laid into his path. Rushton shot first time but Mann saved. Connerton stretched for a Farrell free kick and made contact but it went wide. The visitors’ Nicky Darker had a long range effort tipped wide and from the resulting corner Dan Thirkell thought he’d scored, yet referee Craig Buxton disallowed it.
Then came a moment that had City fans worried. Jordan Connerton was on the receiving end of a hard tackle and went down in pain. He was replaced as part of a double substitution but could limp so was obviously not seriously injured.
Danby attempted another free kick and came even closer this time, his shot skimming the bar. Mark Jackson had a shot blocked from Jarvis’ low cross then Rushton had yet another chance to bag the match ball; he took Jackson’s cross on the chest but dragged his shot wide from 8 yards.
Jackson got his 3rd goal of the season with 3 minutes of normal time remaining, latching onto a Max Rothwell header. Jackson and Adam Farrell both tussled for the ball (Farrell smiling when Jackson eventually got it). It was the substitute who got the ball and he went onto slip under Mann, the ‘keeper again got a touch but the ball rolled in.
Lancaster City: Martin Fearon, Guy Heffernan, Neil Marshall, Andrew Teague, Jonathan Smith (booked), Chris Ward, Mike Rushton (Rob Wilson, 80), Paul Jarvis, Jordan Connerton (Mark Jackson, 63), Adam Farrell, Jerome Watt (Max Rothwell, 63)
Harrogate Railway Athletic: James Mann, James Nettleton, Steve Ball (Craig Verity, 46), Liam Gray, Nigel Danby, Chris Jenkinson, Nicky Darker, Paul Stansfield, Ben Jones, Dan Thirkell, Phil Mitchell.
Lancaster City Goalscorers:
Rushton (2) - 3, 36
Jackson- 87
Ryan McMenamin
Saturday 27th February 2010
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