Lancaster held by Stalybridge in 1-1 draw

With three low-scoring games played against Stalybridge Celtic already this season, not many would have predicted goals left, right and centre, and so that idea proved as Lancaster were held to a third consecutive 1-1 draw. Dom Lawson promisingly opened the scoring just after 10 minutes played, but despite a subsequent good spell of play, they were pegged back by Chris Dagnall’s goal not long before half time.

Lawson was on hand early to put Lancaster ahead, set up by the imperious Niall Cowperthwaite whose shot Celtic’s goalkeeper Greg Hall could not hold. Lawson pounced on the scramble and got the ball across the line, the referee confirming his second goal in consecutive games.

The middle portion of the half was interrupted by two forced substitutions as Patrick Allington and Nathan Caine of Stalybridge were both substituted with injuries, for Ed Ikpakwu and Harry Benns respectively, and Lancaster had chances to double their advantage, notably through Nic Evangelinos who put a header just wide of the goal.

But The Dollies were then undone by the visitors who scored a nicely executed goal, with Theo Bailey-Jones delivering a perfectly placed cross to Dagnall who placed a header deftly past Sam Waller. The winger nearly got a goal for himself shortly after, but Sam Waller was on hand to prevent Celtic from taking the advantage.

The second half saw both sides create chances but neither finish them off. Waller again thwarted Bailey-Jones just after the break and did the same just over 10 minutes from time to complete a hat-trick of point-saving stops. Hall had a similar response for Lancaster when he denied Brad Carsley even closer to 90 minutes. It was Celtic though who had the last chance to claim the spoils when substitute Tinashe Chakwana headed a cross over the bar in added time.

The game ended level at 1-1, keeping Lancaster above Stalybridge and in 15th, though both sides showed enough to suggest that they can rise up the table in the coming weeks.