Winsford United 0 Lancaster City 1

LANCASTER put daylight between themselves and the league tail enders on Saturday after a solid performance secured their second successive victory.

Once again that man Stuart Diggle netted the winning strike and yet another clean sheet will help cement the team's growing defensive confidence.

Raynor will now be hoping the run of two great wins will act as a springboard towards league respectability and a return to the form of last season.

The first opportunity of the match fell to Winsford when in the 11th minute Darren Vine got the better of the Blue's back four but Mark Thornley got down well to turn the shot away.

City reformed and took the lead after 14 minutes, a good ball forward by Paul Lodge found Diggle who took the ball round the keeper and confidently slotted it into the net from a narrow angle.

Having taken the lead, City looked determined to hold on their advantage and they defended strongly, snuffing out most of Winsford's attacking ideas.

Thornley was called upon to make another good save at the start of the second half, turning away a powerful drive from Paul Allen, and City created chances at the other end with Barrie Stimpson letting fly with a superb shot that skimmed the post and then trying a delicate chip which forced the keeper to tip over the crossbar.

Winsford almost equalised late in the game when their leading scorer, Jock Russell, turned a header onto City's crossbar which fortunately went over.

For the last few minutes City played out time deep in the Winsford half to secure another vital three points.

Team: Thornley, Flanagan, Stimpson, McNeilis, Key, Armstrong, Trainer, Lodge, Diggle, Borrowdale, Graham.

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