Hucknall Town 3 Lancaster City 1

POOR defensive mistakes saw City slump to their second away defeat of the season.

But a bizarre error on BBC ceefax and in some Sunday newspapers left a lot of people thinking City lost 5-7.

Either way it was a loss that City could have done without because, had they won, they would have gone top.

Lancaster's downfall began in the 8th minute when Jamie Roberts' in-swinging corner went directly into the net.

Hucknall made it two in the 18th minute when a long ball left Simon Martin one-on-one with Paul Horridge. City's keeper came out and spread himself and looked to have done enough when Martin's shot cannoned off the bar. But Martin was fortunate when the ball bounced back to him as he headed the ball into an open net.

Even though City were 2-0 down, there was a lot of hope for a comeback because City were playing the better football.

In the 33rd minute City came close to getting one back when Chris Ward put in a superb cross for Lee Clitheroe who had an open net ahead of him but, under pressure, headed the ball wide. The start of the second half saw Lancaster have a valid shout for a penalty when the ball seemed to be handled in the area following a corner but the referee gave nothing.

Time was running out although City continued to play the better football.

Brian Welch showed some excellent close control and was unlucky his shot went just over, Kilbane's drive went just wide and Phil Horner was unlucky after he made a good one-two but saw the move break down.

Paul Haddow then had two long range efforts that came close before City finally broke the deadlock in the 90th minute. Horner played the ball through for Kilbane, the defence stopped expecting an offside but play continued and Kilbane slotted the ball past the keeper into the left corner of the net.

Lancaster pushed for the equaliser and expected another goal for a late, late comeback but unfortunately it was Hucknall who were to get the last laugh from a dubious goal.

Paul Tomlinson seemed yards offside when he received the ball from Rob Orton but play continued and Tomlinson fired home to make it three. Manager Tony Hesketh said: "It's strange that we can play badly like we did against Worksop and win whereas today we have outplayed them and come away with nothing. "I definitely think that we have missed the likes of Jimmy Graham and John Fowler."

Team: Horridge 7, Sparrow 6, Haddow 6, Kilbane 7, Horner 6, Mayers 6, Martin 6, S. Clitheroe 6 (Barnes 72), Ward 6, Welch 7 (Morton 83), L. CLitheroe 8.