Lancaster City 1-1 Witton Albion

The results leave the Dolly Blues in fifth place in the BetVictor Northern Premier League and still in the hunt for a play-off place, although sixth place Nantwich Town, who are only a point behind, still have three games in hand.

City started the game well and almsot took the lead inside four minutes when a Sam Bailey cross from the right was headed away by the defence and the ball fell to Jack Armer, who fired in a shot from the edge of the box, but Chris Renshaw in the Witton goal saved to his left, pushing it out for a corner.

Renshaw was called into action again a minute later when Paul Dawson went for goal from 20 yards out but his shot was comfortably gathered by the Albion stopper.

Witton created their first real chance of the game on 12 minutes when a lovely through ball by James Foley played in James Hooper who got his shot away from inside the area but he was denied by Sam Ashton in the City goal.

Hooper had another chance soon after when he found himself in space in the penalty area but his left footed shot from a tight angle was easily collected by Ashton.

The Blues then went close again when Paul Dawson went on a rampaging run through the middle and put in a cross from the right towards the back post.

Renshaw came off his line to punch it clear but he didn’t make clean contact with the ball and it fell to Danny Pilkington, who laid it off to Charlie Bailey at the edge of the box and his superbly struck shot was heading straight for the top corner, only for Renshaw to make an outstanding diving save to his right. A minute later and City went close again, this time Pilkington played in Armer but despite trying to chip the ball over the onrushing Renshaw, he wasn’t able to hit the target.

In the 26th minute the Dolly Blues had another excellent chance when Sam Bailey showed for a short corner and whipped the ball in, it bounced through to Niall Cowperthwaite but he scuffed his effort from close range and Renshaw gathered easily.

It was not all one way traffic though and Witton came close to opening the scoring on the half hour mark when Billy Smart headed over from inside the six yard box in a central position after an excellent bit of skill and cross from the right.

Charlie Bailey then found himself in behind defence on the right hand side after an excellent ball by Sam Bailey, but with Renshaw of his line Bailey failed to hit the target with his effort.

However, just before half time the deadlock was finally broken when Armer was brought down in the area and the referee pointed to the spot.

Up stepped Dawson, who sent the keeper the wrong way and put the ball into the corner to give the Dollies a half time lead.

Witton had a chance early in the second half from a corner but it was headed over, and City then had a series of corners of their own, with Charlie Bailey firing a shot over the bar from the edge of the box.

Wills also went close, but his shot also went high and wide, before a cross by Armer from the left was headed agonisingly wide by Brad Carsley fromsix yards out.

The Blues were punished for their missed chances in the 72nd minute when Johnson put in a superb cross from the right and an unmarked Foley finished neatly with his right foot from eight yards out to make it 1-1.

The Dolly Blues very nearly retook in the lead in the 77th minute when a corner was whipped in from the right but Carsley could only head wide from the edge of the six yard box.