Lancaster City 3 - 1 Skelmersdale United

Report by Ryan McMenamin

Lancaster City overcame Skelmersdale United, who were league leaders at the start of play, at the Giant Axe thanks to a brace by leading scorer Danny Hattersley and Jack Duggan’s 5th of the season, in what was unfortunately the defender’s last appearance for the Dolly Blues due to Fleetwood Town recalling him from his loan spell.

It had been made well known that the Cod Army wanted Duggan back, and it is no surprise following his consistently solid displays since Tony Hesketh brought him in during February last season, and he was part of the President’s Cup winning squad before his loan was renewed this summer.

This game started very brightly for the hosts, as Craig Carney’s corner was met by Danny Hattersley who rose above everyone to head home his first of the afternoon on nine minutes, despite the best efforts of a Skem player on the line.

City were given an almost immediate scare in reply, when Lee Parle advanced into the box but his cut back was put out for a corner by Danny Gregson, another young defender who has performed very well and took his first team chance well in Neil Marshall’s absence.

The pace of the match somewhat died down after that, neither team could break the other down, although it was City who looked the most likely to do so through Zach Clark, twisting and turning his way into space on the right flank past Mike Burke.

United, in recent years a very elegant side who pass the ball freely, actually looked most likely to score from a set piece or a cross. Their tall front man Aaron Bowen would be the most obvious target, however it was centre back Andy Rendall who got on the scoresheet, nodding Ken Strickland’s cross past Martin Fearon after a corner had broken down but wasn’t cleared well enough by Lancaster.

Shortly prior to half time, Dave Swarbrick raced away from a couple of Skem players but miscontrolled so Sam Ashton could come out and collect, and then the ‘keeper saved easily when Zach Clark shot on the spin.

There was still time at the other end for Aaron Bowen to set up Joe Evans, but the midfielder fired into the side netting when he should have tried with his left foot.

The second period burst into life almost as quickly as the first, Craig Carney looped a shot from distance into Ashton’s arms before Ryan Elderton drove in the corner which Jack Duggan forced in at the back post, managing to squeeze it between the bar and the man on the post, and with that goal he became City’s fourth top scorer in all competitions.

Three minutes later on the hour mark, the game was effectively sealed even with such a long time left, as Danny Hattersley bagged his 12th and probably best goal of the season. Zach Clark dashed down the right hand side as he had done most of the day with little success, and his pull back evaded Dave Swarbrick and United’s Tony Rendall leaving Hattersley the chance to score, which he did by rifling into the roof of the net from the edge of the box.

Chris Almond spurned a golden opportunity to pull one back for the visitors, horribly slicing wide with his left foot from close range.

Lee Dodgson has been kept out of the starting line-up of late, but his introduction, this time with twelve minutes remaining, always provides a creative spark. The substitute cleverly set up Dave Swarbrick in the box but the latter’s attempt bounced off the post.

Skem replacement Steve Torpey’s strike flew not too far over, and that was the closest Tommy Lawson’s men came to getting back in it. Simon Wills had been introduced in place of Hattersley and he nodded just wide from Alex Kenyon’s free kick.

Skelmersdale slipped down to second with this defeat, while The Dolly Blues stayed in third, eight points behind Skem with three games in hand and nine behind Curzon Ashton who have played the same number of games, and are to visit the Axe in December.

Lancaster City: Martin Fearon, Rob Henry, Ryan Elderton, Jack Duggan, Danny Gregson, Alex Kenyon, Zach Clark (Lee Dodgson, 76), Craig Carney, Dave Swarbrick, Danny Hattersley (Simon Wills, 84), Max Rothwell.

Skelmersdale United: Sam Ashton, Lewis Field, Mike Burke, Rob McIntosh, Tony Rendall, Lee Parle, Paul Woolcott, Joe Evans, Aaron Bowen, Chris Almond, Ken Strickland (booked).