Lancaster City frustrated by Atherton Collieries

Lancaster City were unable to convert their dominance into three points as they drew 1-1 at Atherton Collieries.

Dolly Blues manager Mark Fell was left frustrated after a good performance possession-wise on Monday afternoon.

The home side took the lead after 17 minutes but Lancaster equalised after pushing hard for a leveller throughout the second half.

The Dollies started the game as the slightly better team, creating a few half chances, however the first real opportunity of the match was in fact Atherton’s opener. The Colls’ number 11, Bailey Thompson, bagged his first goal in black and white after heading in from Scott Bakkor’s cross.

The home side could have had a second on the half hour mark but Sam Waller managed to tip Gaz Peet’s free kick onto the crossbar.

The Dollies looked much sharper in the second half. Charlie Bailey, making only his second appearance since September for City following a spell on the sidelines due to injury, had a shot well saved by Luca Defreitas-Hansen, who Atherton named as their man of the match.

Dom Lawson got the equaliser for Lancaster when he latched onto a header from captain Andy Teague, who got his second assist in as many games.

Lawson had another chance, this time to turn the game on its head, but Defreitas-Hansen kept his effort out. Lancaster’s number nine also forced heroics from Luca Hansen, who blocked the striker’s final attempt of the game.

Mark Fell was disappointed with his side’s failure to make their superior possession of the ball count. Speaking to Lancaster City’s press after the game, he lamented that “we had a lot of territory and didn’t create a lot of chances.”

He went on to say, “The story of our season is that we can’t convert dominance, we can’t create real, clear cut chances. That’s been the case today.

“I know our record over Christmas and New Year is generally poor, we generally lose, so it’s an improvement from that but I’m disappointed, I’m frustrated. I think we could’ve made better decisions on the day.

“We have got to get moving now.”

Fell was also frustrated by the defending for Atherton’s goal.

“We’ve made a mess of a clearance, we’ve not stopped a cross, we’ve not marked men in the middle of the pitch. You’ve got to do that in this league, it doesn’t matter who you play, you’re going to concede goals.”

Dom Lawson’s performance was a huge plus point for the Dollies gaffer.

“The only one who really looked like making a difference was Dom. I thought he was great again. He got his goal, a great finish, and probably has another one going in if it wasn’t for a last ditch block at the end.”

David Norris was taken off at the halfway point of the second period through injury and Fell admitted that it “probably looks fairly bad”.

Lancaster City’s next game is against Stalybridge Celtic at the Giant Axe on Saturday (January 7).