Lancaster City 4 - Ossett Albion 2:
CITY COMEBACK OPENS UP GAP ON COLWYN
Lancaster stayed six points ahead of Colwyn Bay at the top of the Unibond First Division North thanks to a spirited comeback. Four players got on the scoresheet- Adam Farrell, Roger Sharrock, goal machine Jordan Connerton and Paul Jarvis finished of a determined Ossett.City should have had the game wrapped up by half time, but they missed a sackfull of chances and were ultimately punished for it. After just two minutes a corner was headed out for Chris Ward too strike, his deflected long-range effort well tipped round by Lee Ashcroft. On 20 minutes the visitors dealt a sucker punch with their first attack of the game. Gareth Hamlet met skipper Shane Kelsey’s dangerous ball with a diving header, completely against the run of play. Midway through the first period a superb in-swinging ball from Andrew Teague, not renowned for his crossing ability, was brilliantly controlled by Connerton who got it out of his feet but shot agonisingly against the post.
Lee Ashcroft then pulled of another great save, this time from Adam Farrell’s curling attempt. From the resulting Paul Jarvis corner Andrew Teague’s header was cleared off the line. Another corner was cleared before reaching Chris Ward, who squandered a good opportunity by side footing straight at the grateful Ashcroft.
Neil Marshall wasted a chance when he headed over six yards out. However, in the second minute of first half stoppage time City won a free kick right on the edge of the area. Adam Farrell stepped up and his low drive deflected into the bottom corner.
Nine minutes after the restart the same duo of Kelsey and Hamlet combined to put Albion ahead for the second time. Kelsey beat Rob Henry on the left before firing a low cross along the face for Hamlet to slide in and score.
It took a quarter of an hour for Lancaster to equalize again. City captain Michael Stringfellow’s pinpoint 50-yard diagonal ball found Roger Sharrock whose shot beat the ‘keeper but was blocked on the line by Damien Hopkins. Sharrock reacted quickest though to smash in-between Hopkins and Kyle Cook. Sharrock is the next highest scorer for City this season behind Connerton with 16 altogether.
Farrell and Sharrock both had opportunities to put City in front, Farrell’s shot rolled just wide and Sharrock’s ferocious volley whizzed over. Mike Rushton, who fought his way back into the first eleven, had a glorious chance when he was one-on-one with Ashcroft, yet he spurned it by shooting straight at him. With three minutes of normal time remaining Rushton played his part in what was effectively the winning goal when passed to Connerton 15 yards out. The striker dummied a defender and his right-foot shot rolled onto the post and in for his 31st goal in all competitions, 23rd in the league.
Lancaster sealed the game before stoppage time begun when Connerton rolled a defender from Max Rothwell’s pass and his trough ball found Mike Rushton. The winger stayed calm and slid into the path of Paul Jarvis, who gratefully slotted home and clinched the victory.
Lancaster City: Martin Fearon, Rob Henry, Neil Marshall, Andrew Teague, Michael Stringfellow (booked), Chris Ward, Mike Rushton, Paul Jarvis (booked), Jordan Connerton (booked), Adam Farrell, Roger Sharrock.
Ossett Albion: Lee Ashcroft, Tom Harbar, Kyle Cook (Chris Siddall, 74), Damien Hopkins, Lee Connor, Mario Campagna (booked) (Mark Thompson, 79), Nathan James, Ryan White (booked), Gareth, Hamlet, Shane Kelsey, Michael Senior (Tom Parker, 67).
City Scorers: Farrell- 45+2 Sharrock- 69 Connerton- 87 Jarvis- 90
Ossett Scorers: Gareth Hamlet (2)- 20, 54
Ryan McMenamin
Saturday 23rd January 2010
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