Lancaster City cruised to victory at Ossett Albion’s Dimple Wells ground, on a chilly Yorkshire afternoon the team from the Red Rose county simply outclassed and overwhelmed their hapless Yorkshire opponents.

City took the lead after 2 minutes when Johnson’s lob hit the bar, the ball fell to Rushden who centered from close range to Jonson who bundled the ball home. (Alb 0 city1)

It was all one way as City powered down the slope to pile on the pressure, a Kenyon free kick was well saved and other efforts went narrowly wide before Duggan bravely headed home from close range. (Alb 0 City 2)

On the stroke of half time Swarbrick brushed off some feeble defending to make it three. (Alb 0 City 3)

Albion offered absolutely nothing, so Rogerson who was making his debut in the City goal had a very easy first half.

Ossett made 3 changes at half time within 2 minutes they were four down, a Wilson free kick from fully 45 yards was completely misread by the Albion keeper who could only palm the ball into his own net. (Alb 0 City 4)

Albion were then reduced to 10 men when one of the substitutes limped off injured, down to 10 and being hammered. Interest started to wain as it became little more than a training game. City should have scored more but offside, decent goalkeeping and wayward shooting kept the score to four.

It was a relief to all and sundry when the referee brought an end to the game. Easy for Lancaster.

Ossett Albion 0 Lancaster City 4 Att131

The Yorkshire Pyramid

Early morning photo

Occaisional daily photo

This one worked without any wind

Chorley 2 Lancaster 1

Chorley v Lancaster City @ Victory Park, Chorley

After Saturday’s victory over Cammell Laird, Lancaster manager Tony Hesketh said there would be 800,000 attending this game he was slightly wrong by about 799,500.

591 people gave the Champions league a miss to watch this Lacashire derby, compaired to Saturday’s dross this was a far better match.

City were woeful for the first 20 minutes or so as Chorley playing an Allardyce type of game(Hoof Ball) put City under intense pressure, going close with a spectacular over head kick, they eventually took the lead after 14 minutes when Cunliffe received the ball from a throw in and virtually ran unchallenged through the City defence to score easily. (Chorley 1 City 0)

It looked like it was going to a cricket score as another effort whistled by the post and City’s keeper saved well from another goal bound effort.

Then City took charge playing the ball on the floor and giving the promotion chasing home side chasing shadows. Young midfielder Alex Meaney began to take charge and began running the game.

Rushden had City’s first chance and with only the keeper to beat managed to blaze the ball over the bar, Meaney also had a great chance when a weaving run took to within sight of goal but his shot was tame and easily saved.

Half time arrived and the view from the visiting fans was that they still had a chance of getting something from the game.

City were immedialtely on the front foot and from a corner were presented with a gift, the Chorley keeper dropped the ball and with the goal gaping the ball fell to Rushden, the goal was still gaping after the shot from about 6 yards he hit the underside of the stand behind the goal.

Minutes later a superb pass from Meaney found Swarbrick whose scuffed shot was easily saved. Then when all seemed lost a poor Chorley clearence fell to Meaney’s left foot his first time volley flew into the net. (Chorley 1 City 1)

A further chance albeit harder was spurned by Kenworthy.

Chorley then got back into the game stung by the equaliser and penned City back, just as I thought City would hold out a scrambled goal 10 minutes from time gave them the lead and subsequently the points. Vermiglio got the goal. (Chorley 2 City 1)

City almost scrambled a deserved point but an effort from Kenyon was pushed past the post by the keeper.

Chorley 2 Lancaster City 1 Att 591

Leafy Salford

About 3 seasons ago Lancaster played Salford at Lancaster and lost 5-1 all Salford’s goals were scored by Steve Foster. He played against City today and again found the net, more of that later.

City put in a performance in the first half as bad as I’ve seen them play for a long time. Strangely though they started as the better side but that didn’t last for long as Salford under the player managership of Rhodri Giggs(Ryan’s less talented brother) began to pass the ball around.

The home side took the lead after 21 minutes when some dozy defending let in Giggs whose shot was saved by Fearon however the ball ran to Foster who didn’t miss. (Salf 1 City 0)

City were playing against a chilly wind which didn’t help their cause however their play was poor, the 2nd Salford goal came from the penalty spot when a woeful backpass from Henry left keeper Fearon in deep trouble with two Salford players closing him down. He lost the ball and brought down Foster, clear penalty although some Lancaster fans thought otherwise.

Foster sent Fearon the wrong way (Salf 2 Lanc 0) Within 5 minutes City were back in the game with a quality goal not in keeping with the dross they had played through the first half. Swarbrick dummied the defender, spun round and fired in a shot which was pushed out by the keeper only to Hall who slotted home from close range. (Salf 2 City 1)

That was the half time score, in the 2nd half there was only one team in it and that was City, with the wind at their backs they actually passed the ball around instead of the hoof ball they had played in tthe first half. Salford started to time waste and things got a bit niggly on the pitch not help by very average match officials. A free kick from Wilson wa pushed out by the keeper and a couple of efforts went narrowly wide. Marshall also had a header cleared from the line.

5 minutes of injury time were announced when a clash of heads stopped play, the Salford keeper squirted water in the face of City midfielder Wilson during the stoppage thought it was funny, wasn’t laughing 5 minutes later when following a bout of head tennis in the 6 yards box Rushden headed home a deserved equaliser. Hope the keeper saw the funny side of that.

Salford City 2 Lancaster City 2 Att 117

A non thriller at the Crilly

Leigh Genesis v Lancaster City @Crilly Park Atherton



71 hardy souls turned up to watch this epic encounter, when the match should have been played Leigh had just lost their previous home game 8-0 however in the meantime better players had been brought in therefore this would not be a walkover for City.

A less than enthralling first half, lots of running around with very little to show for it. With a desperately small crowd the words of the players were clearly heard, totally surprised to hear that most footballers actually swear. Stunned and shocked by it.

Neither keeper had a shot to save and for those anoraks there were 2 trains on the line behind the bottom goal. The one thing you should no about Crilly Park is that it makes the ski jump at Innsbruck look like a flat surface.

City kicked down the hill in the first half and possibly shaded the first half but as neither side did anything of note you could possibly say neither side shaded it.

Ambled into the clubhouse for abit of warmth and noticed that Jamie Redknapp had failed to find his razor again, too busy taking free holidays with Tompson’s.

2nd half began with the tempreture plummiting toward zero, happily the game was better, Hall hitting the bar for Lancaster and Priestley the loud and wide keeper for Leigh twice saving well.

Leigh had a spell of pressure and a shot from 30 yards was superbly tipped over the bar by Fearon the City keeper. Leigh also had a shot cleared from the line but that was as close as we got to a goal, City finished the game the stronger but could not break down the resolute home defence.

During the 2nd half there was the sight of a car being driven down the railway line towards Wigan, British Rail obviously have gone on an economy drive
The referee brought an end to proceedings into the cold Atherton night the 71 went.

Leigh Genesis 0 Lancaster City 0 Att 71