Lancaster City 1-2 Durham City

An own goal and a dubious second half strike sunk Lancaster City to their third successive league defeat and their first at Giant Axe this season.

A game that was largely a stalemate with little to report, Durham took the lead after Neil Marshall lobbed a back pass to Martin Fearon over the helpless keeper and into the back of the net to literally give Durham the lead on 22 minutes. Neither side created any real chances in the first half, with City lacking width and ideas but defending competently.

The second half began in similar fashion before Durham doubled their advantage in controversial circumstances. A blatant handball in the build up to the goal was either not spotted or ignored by the referee and Durham broke free with David Dowson smashing the ball past Fearon one on one to make it 2-0 to Durham on fifty one minutes, leaving City irate and with a mountain to climb. The final half hour of the second half was dominated by Lancaster City who despite all their possession couldn't find a way through a solid and tall Durham defence until the eighty four minute mark. An Alex Kenyon free kick from the right side of the Durham half was deflected in by Jack Duggan to give City hope at 2-1. City battled hard but thanks to a combination of poor passing, poor set pieces and Durham's effective running down of the clock, the visitors left Giant Axe with all three points.

CityXI: Fearon 5, Henry 5, Duggan 5, Marshy 4, Elderton 5, Kenyon 4, Rothwell 4, Wills 4, Swarbrick 4, Dodgson 4, Meaney 4,

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