LANCASTER now have a juicy FA cup derby game at home against Bamber Bridge later this month after this dramatic victory.

The team didn't arrive home to Lancaster until 3am and they were tired. Tired but happy in the knowledge that they have been voted as the best Unibond team for August, are third in the league, have the chairman of Leeds United interested in the side and have an excellent chance of making it to the first round of the FA Cup proper.

No one will have been happier than 18-year-old Chris Ward who, after scoring both City's goals on the night, was awarded with a two year contract. Ward is now the club's leading scorer. He opened the scoring after 30 minutes with Lancaster's first shot on target. He re-directed a hard shot from Paul Haddow that left the keeper no chance. Whitby equalised six minutes later. Then the situation deteriorated even further when City goalkeeper Mark Thornley was stretchered off and rushed to hospital with concussion. Thankfully an x-ray showed no broken bones and Thornley might be able to play at Bishop Auckland on Saturday. Whitby took the lead on 64 minutes and the situation was looking bad. Shortly afterwards Whitby's Steve West was sent off for an appalling stamp on Chris Ward. The teenager exacted his revenge a few minutes later when he tucked away Neil Morton's parried shot. The game inevitably went to penalties and substitute Cyril Sharrock proved the hero of the hour when he saved Whitby's third penalty. Lancaster's penalty scorers were Sparrow, Mayers, Graham (with his first ever penalty) and Haddow.

Team: Thornley (Sharrock 40), Kilbane, Graham, Udall, Horner, Mayers, Sparrow, Haddow, Morton, Ward (109), Kennedy.

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