Lancaster City lose away at Matlock Town

Lancaster City lost 2-1 to Matlock Town with two first-half goals proving to be the difference.

Nic Evangelinos halved the deficit for the Dollies in the second half, but they couldn't find an equaliser. 

The result still leaves Lancaster seventh in the NPL Premier Division, but now five points behind the playoff spots and having played more games than almost all other teams in the playoff race. 

Defender Tyler Hill was announced as a new signing for City on Saturday morning, joining on loan from Blackpool’s academy, and came straight into the starting lineup.

The game started in an even fashion. 

David Norris’ low effort was a comfortable one for Matlock ‘keeper Saul Deeney, while Niall Cowpertwaite headed the ball just wide from a Sam Bailey free kick. 

At the other end, Curtis Durose went close and Joe West’s attempt from the edge of the box smashed against the woodwork and over. 

Around the halfway stage of the first half, two new Matlock signings combined as Curtis Durose got a shot on target on the right hand side of the box from a Tavonga Kuleya pass.

The hosts were almost pegged back within minutes.

Brad Carroll’s header just four minutes later from a Kyle Brownhill cross went agonisingly wide for Lancaster.  

Charlie Bailey was forced off with a knock in between the goal and the near-equaliser and was replaced by Ed Ikpakwu.

Saul Deeney made his first big save of the game on the half hour mark, stopping Nic Evangelinos at the back stick.

Tom Kilifin went close with a dragged effort from range.

Matlock’s captain Adam Yates, who was celebrating 15 years with the Gladiators on Saturday, doubled their lead on the stroke of half time.

A corner came in from the left and, after a few messy attempted clearances from the Dolly Blues, Yates eventually poked it home to give Lancaster a mountain to climb.

The home side could have got a third after the break, but Ollie Clark’s header went just over the bar.

Nic Evangelinos again forced a smart save from Saul Deeney ten minutes into the second half from close range after some quick passing in the final third.

Evangelinos would get the better of Deeney though. 

He was the man who got a goal back midway through the second 45.  

Christian Sloan played him in with a perfect through ball and the forward skipped past a defender before slotting the ball into the bottom left hand corner. 

City applied pressure onto Matlock in the final 20 minutes as they pushed for an equaliser.

Brad Carroll came closest to making it all square but couldn’t keep his volley down. 

Lancaster manager Chris Willcock spoke to Dolly Blue Sound after the game.

“I felt in the first half we had a bit of a hangover from Tuesday (5-0 defeat against Ashton United) - we were way off it in many aspects," he said.

“Not going forwards - I thought we had plenty of the ball and created some good moments - but I thought out of possession we were way off the pace.

“The lads came out and showed what we’re about in the second half.

“You can’t go anywhere in the league and start the way we did, give the opposition a two goal lead and expect to get something out of it.

“It was always going to be an uphill task. 

“I’m disappointed with the set piece, massively disappointed by the first goal.

“The lads responded after half time but we’ve got to respond from the first whistle.”

Next up for Lancaster is a trip to Morpeth Town on Saturday (March 16).

Lancaster City: Stewart, S Bailey (c), Hill (Jarvis 61’), Sloan, Carroll, Cowperthwaite, C Bailey (Ikpakwu 25’), Evangelinos, Kilifin (Lawson 61’), Norris, Connelly