Lancaster City travel to Guiseley before hosting rivals Bamber Bridge over Easter weekend

Lancaster City will look to regain form as they play two games in 48 hours this Easter weekend.

The Dolly Blues suffered a fourth consecutive defeat last Saturday (March 23) on Non League Day, losing 2-0 to high-flying Marine in front of a crowd of 1,010, the highest attendance recorded at The Giant Axe this season.

Before then, they lost three away games in a row to Ashton United, Matlock Town and Morpeth Town.

Lancaster’s tough March has seen them slip to 10th in the NPL Premier Division, now 11 points off the playoff positions - it was only a couple of weeks ago that the Dolly Blues were firmly in the playoff race. 

Chris Willcock’s side travel to Guiseley, who themselves are in the playoff mix, on Saturday (March 30).

The West Yorkshire side sit three points off fifth-place Hyde United with a game in hand. 

Guiseley have lost two of their last three league games, and three of their last four in all competitions, but got a 1-0 win against runaway league leaders Radcliffe earlier this month.  

Their main threat up top is Gabriel Johnson, who scored the late winner in that game. 

He has scored 21 goals this season, 16 in the league. 

All being well, Lancaster forward Charlie Bailey will be fit and ready to go this weekend.

He suffered an injury in the game against Matlock Town on March 9 and hasn’t featured since.

However, he trained with the team pre-match last Saturday, and his absence from that game was believed to only be precautionary.

The result between Lancaster and Guiseley in the reverse fixture at The Giant Axe last August was 2-2, with the Dolly Blues coming from two goals down to earn a point in an entertaining clash. 

Both clubs have had managerial changes since then - Guiseley’s came not long after that result, with Paul Phillips leaving in mid-September.

He was replaced by former Bury boss Andy Welsh towards the end of October. 

Guiseley v Lancaster City kicks off at 3pm on Saturday (March 30) at Nethermoor Park. 

Forty eight hours later, Lancaster will face rivals Bamber Bridge at The Giant Axe on Easter Monday (April 1).

‘Brig’ have lost their last two and are 15th in the NPL Premier Division, although they are well clear of the threat of relegation.

They won their last four in all competitions before those two losses. 

The club announced the re-signing of Alistair Waddecar this week.

Waddecar, a 33-year-old winger, made over 450 appearances across an 11-year period between 2010 and 2021, before he left to join FC United of Manchester.  

The most recent game between Lancaster and Bamber Bridge was certainly memorable, an 11-goal thriller in the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy Quarter Final, which Bamber Bridge came out the right side of, winning 7-4. 

None of the last nine clashes between the two sides have ended in a Dolly Blue win - Chris Willcock will hope that his team’s recent fortunes against ‘Brig’ will have changed by the end of the Easter period.  

Lancaster City v Bamber Bridge kicks off at 3pm on Easter Monday (April 1) at The Giant Axe.