Lancaster City earn first three points of season at Gainsborough Trinity

Lancaster City got their first three points of the Northern Premier League season with a 2-0 victory at Gainsborough Trinity.

Manager Mark Fell initially named an unchanged starting XI from the team that drew with Radcliffe on Tuesday night, but Jake Connelly had to be replaced by Dom Lawson prior to kick off after picking up an injury during the warmups.

There was a delay to kick off as the Dollies had to change their kit due to a kit clash – but it was the opposition’s jerseys they changed into, not their own.

Instead, City wore Gainsborough’s pre-season multicoloured charity kit.

Once the game got underway, it didn’t take long for the visitors to take the lead.

Dom Lawson scored his competitive first goal for the club just eight minutes into proceedings when he connected with the ball after a low cross into the box. Midfielder Dale Whitham got his first goal for the club too when he met with another cross from the left.

During the second half, it was a case of limiting the hosts to few chances and keeping possession as much as possible. Club captain Andy Teague was subbed off with around half an hour to go after picking up a knock.

Kyle Brownhill, who was City’s man of the match, assisted both goals and once again had a great game, looking very dangerous on the left-hand side of the pitch.

In a game of not so many chances, the Dollies dominated and had a clinical edge, which is something that they had been slightly lacking in in the previous few matches, and inflicted a first defeat of the season on Gainsborough.

Fell, speaking to Lancaster City’s website after the game, was delighted with his team’s performance and felt they deserved the win. “I thought we played magnificently well.

“We should’ve taken our chances against Radcliffe, we did today and we managed it ever so well”, said the Dollies’ boss, “we’ve not given them (Gainsborough) a sniff.

“Any manager who doesn’t get a win after four or five games and says they don’t think about it, is lying to you. But I never for a moment felt that we didn’t have what we needed, or wanted to get more players in or believed that we didn’t have enough quality.”

It’s the end of goalkeeper Jordan Eastham’s 28-day loan at the club, and Fell wanted to praise him for his performances during that time.

“That young man is a superstar," said Fell.

"He’s kept another superstar in Curtis (Anderson, goalkeeper) out of the team and we’re lucky to have probably the two best ‘keepers in this league at the moment. If Jordan doesn’t play in the Football League, I’ll be amazed, he’s got everything as a goalkeeper.”

The Dolly Blues are now 15th in the league and are now above their upcoming opponents Atherton Collieries, who they play in less than 48 hours. The Colls lost 1-0 on their own turf to Matlock Town on Saturday, so Fell’s men can certainly go into Monday’s game at the Giant Axe full of confidence and in the better position.

Injuries and general fitness is something to be wary of, so Fell has confirmed he will have to “shuffle the pack” for the visit of Atherton.

The City gaffer emphasised how important the supporters will be in getting something from the game on Monday.

“What we need to do is get people at that football ground - we need big, strong and vocal support to back us - and hopefully we can return a performance like that.”