Manager Fell's fury as Lancaster City defeated at Nantwich

Manager Mark Fell said he was "disgusted" with his side's second-half performance after Lancaster City failed to extend their winning streak.

The 2-1 defeat, which gave Nantwich only their fourth home league win of the season, means Lancaster drop down to 12th in the NPL Premier Division and they will have to wait until their next game to try and meet Mark Fell’s target of getting into the top 10.

The Dollies opened the scoring before Nantwich equalised with a penalty on the stroke of half time. The home side then took the lead thanks to a powerful strike from Steven Hewitt towards the start of the second half.

The hosts nearly had the perfect start but Byron Harrison’s header from a corner went just over.

The Dollies started to come into the game a bit more in the following minutes. David Norris’ speculative effort was also a little too high.

The visitors took the lead when Nic Evangelinos got himself on the end of an attempted strike from Charlie Bailey and poked the ball into the Nantwich net.

They had two good chances to double the advantage, but Thomas Booth kept out Sam Bailey and Evangelins with fairly routine saves.

The momentum of the game switched again not long after those chances, and Nantwich would get their reward in first half added time. The referee controversially pointed to the spot after an apparent foul in the area. Byron Harrison stepped up, slotted home and sent Sam Waller the wrong way.

Seven minutes into the second half, the Dabbers got themselves in front. Steven Hewitt launched a thunderous strike from outside the box which was too strong for Waller.

Perry Bircumshaw could have got Nantwich a third but Waller tipped his shot over.

Charlie Bailey had a great chance to level the scoring but Thomas Booth pushed it behind for a corner, which Bradley Carroll had a headed chance from, but his header was just over.

Lancaster City manager Mark Fell said that his side got “exactly what we deserved”.

He criticised the penalty decision but said the second half performance was down to the players.

“I am disgusted with our second half performance. I’ve not been this angry about how we’ve played for a long, long time. I apologise to the supporters who came because that’s not a Lancaster side.”

With no midweek fixture this week, the players will instead have another training session.

“The players will come in on Tuesday and Thursday and work, because that’s what we are – the staff graft and, in the main, the players graft and it’s a one off performance, which is lucky, but I’m not tolerating that again.

“You can’t win three or four and think ‘we’re there now’, we’re not, course we’re not. You’ve got to keep going.

"I’ve left players out of the squad today and put players on the bench today who were chomping at the bit for it. How can I look those players in the eye now and say ‘you won’t play against Belper’.”

Lancaster City’s next game is a trip to NPL Premier Division bottom side Belper Town on Saturday (March 18).