Bamber Bridge 1-0 Lancaster City

Simon Wills in the thick of the action for Lancaster City at Bamber Bridge. Picture: Paul Vause

Having picked up a first Evo-Stik First Division North win of the season over Glossop North End at Giant Axe on Saturday the Dolly Blues failed to kick on. Matt Lawlor’s header on the hour ultimately settled a tight game that was low on clear-cut chances for either side.

The more than 300 in attendance at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium were made to wait for action with both sides struggling to get going in the opening half an hour.

Phil Brown’s visitors felt they should have had a penalty towards the end of the first period but after Louis Mayers appeared to be tripped in the box the Dollies’ appeals were waved away.

Ricky Mercer is patched up. Picture: Paul Vause

Any chances were fleeting with the returning Mike Hale untroubled in the City goal.

At the other end Joshua Westwood could only shoot wide on the stretch after Jordan Connerton had helped Billy Akrigg’s free-kick across goal.

Brown’s men had the lion share of the possession early in the second period but struggled to test Marcus Burgess.

The only goal of the game came on 60 minutes, Lawlor rising highest to meet a corner at the near post and flick it into the far corner of the net. City’s best chance of an equaliser fell to Oliver Crolla, the midfielder seeing a shot blocked before he curled the rebound wide of the post.

The Blues huffed and puffed in search of a leveller but ultimately slipped to a disappointing defeat.

They return to action this Saturday at Brighouse Town in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup.

Bamber Bridge: Burgess, Wilson, Hunter, Lawlor (capt), Bowyer, Vasey, Waddecar, Churchman, Livesey, Dodd, Linney.

Lancaster City: Hale, Hudson, Clark, Mercer (capt), Westwood, Gregory, Wills, Akrigg, Russell, Mayers, Connerton.

Attendance: 338

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