Basford United 4-1 Lancaster City

The Dolly Blues were looking to get back to winning ways after losing to Morpeth Town in midweek, but City were beaten on the road for the second game running as Basford.

They did nearly get off to the perfect start though when Glenn Steel went close in the fourth minute but his effort from close range was blocked on the line by Brad Gascoigne.

The Dolly Blues went close again in the eighth minute but Kieran Preston a great save from point blank range to keep the scores level.

Then, three minutes later, the home side opened the scoring when Nathan Watson played a lovely through ball into the path of Jack Thomas who kept his cool and slotted the ball under Sam Ashton to give his side the lead.

The hosts almost extended their advantage in the 16th minute when Watson burst forward and was brought down on the edge of the penalty area, but Matt Thornhill’s effort from the freekick went wide of the goal.

City were still in the game though and they came close to equalising when Preston punched the ball away from a corner, and was then forced to make an excellent save when the ball fell to Matty Blinkhorn. A minute later and Preston was in the thick of the action again, this time denying Jack Armer after the full back struck the ball beautifully.

In the 27th minute City came close to levelling things up again when Thornhill headed off the line, and in the 38th minute Preston was called into action once more, making two fantastic saves, first from Blinkhorn, then from Charlie Bailey to keep his team in the lead.

The Dolly Blues were made to pay for their missed chances four minutes later when the home side were awarded a penalty and Watson stepped up to make it 2-0. City pulled one back soon after though, Rob Wilson won the ball out on the left, he drove forward and got his shot away from just outside the area.

His effort was well saved by Preston but Paul Dawson was on hand to tuck home the rebound and give City a lifeline a minute before the break.

Four minutes into the second half and Basford were back on the attack, Watson was put through on goal but was denied by Ashton who made a low stop to his right.

Three minutes later the home team went close again, Watson cutting inside and firing a shot goalwards, Ashton spilt the shot but some great defending denied Stef Galinski with the follow up.

Just before the hour mark Basford almost scored a fantastic goal when a move that started with their keeper resulted in a cross across goal but Watson just couldn’t get a touch on it and it remained 2-1.

Basford almost added to their lead again in the 78th minute when Thomas fired a shot at goal from distance but Ashton tipped the ball over superbly.

The home side finally got their third goal though in the 82nd minute when Watson collected the ball in the area and squared it to James Carvell, who fired a right footed shot past Ashton.

It was game over two minutes later when Basford hit City on the counter.

Coury Grantham brilliantly played in Watson, who was through on goal, but as Ashton came off his line to close him down, Watson squared the ball back to Grantham who had the simple task of tapping it in to make it 4-1.