MORE than 500 people turned up at Giant Axe on Saturday to see Lancaster City leap even further towards their promotion dream.

A 2-0 win over second-place Lincoln Utd in the clash of the season saw the Blues take a 13-point lead at the top of the Unibond First Division and record their 19th unbeaten league game.

Manager Alan Tinsley had his players fired up from the start and they had the better of the first period against a Lincoln side that had won its last eight matches. John Coleman almost put City ahead within minutes of the kick-off but he blazed the ball over the bar in untypical fashion.

Mark Shirley and Steve Trainor also had chances but, in an end to end encounter, City 'keeper Mark Thornley had to be on his mettle to keep out efforts from Alec Leonce and Nigel Bailey.

The breakthrough came in the 39th minute. Anthony Key played a superb ball into the path of Peter Borrowdale who surged into the box and put over a low cross for Stuart Diggle to force home.

That lead was protected with the help of a post as Lincoln pushed forward for an equaliser at the start of the second half, Bailey's shot coming back off the woodwork.

Lincoln were dealt a further blow in the 51st minute when centre forward Leonce was stretchered off after a challenge with City defender Martin Eatough.

Ten minutes later the points were sealed thanks to a brilliant piece of ingenuity from Diggle.

The City top scorer received the ball at his feet with his back to goal in the penalty area. As he controlled the ball he stumbled and fell but somehow managed to get back on his feet, turn and blast the ball home in one movement. Try as they might, Lincoln couldn't find a way past the City rearguard with man-of-the-match Paul Byron outstanding once again at the heart of the defence.

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