Lancaster City 3 Blyth Spartans 1 CITY dominated this match throughout and deserved to win by a much bigger margin and they would have done had it not been for Blyth's keeper. But manager Alan Tinsley certainly won't be complaining as this is the first time City have won by two goals for 15 matches. After being seven points behind Blyth on Saturday, City are now six points ahead of them just three days later. This improbable situation came as Blyth recently had 10 points deducted and disqualified from the Presidents Cup after playing two players without international clearance.

City finally broke the deadlock in the 32nd with a spectacular goal after coming close on several occasions. Charlie Boyd's curling corner looked to be going in on its own but Alex Jones rose above the defence and nodded the ball into the near post just to make sure.

And it was captain Jones who made a crucial touch to set up the second goal. Left footed Jimmy Graham swung a free kick to the right of the goal. Alex Jones rose above the defence again and headed the ball across the face of the goal for Mark Cheal to make it 2-0.

The second half saw City rampant once again and as they extended their lead, some Blyth players' tempers rose. Straight away a dangerous challenge made sure that Alex Jones could take no further part in the match.

Graham Taylor was on form and showed the crowd what he could do in the 63rd minute. He found his way to the edge of the 18 yard box and then belted the ball to the top left corner. Keeper Jones acrobatically leaped across the face of the goal and somehow got a hand to it but he couldn't divert the ball away from goal.

Blyth got a consolation when Thornley's back pass clearance fell for Jon Atkinson. His shot was parried by Thornley but captain Willie Moat cooly slotted the ball into the corner of the net past the helpless Thornley.

City's final match of the season is home against high flyers Boston United, who incidentally now can't get promoted after their 1-0 defeat against Barrow, kick off 3pm.

Team: Thornley, Curwen, Graham, Hartley, Jones (Leitch 49), Gelling, Trainor, Boyd, Taylor, McDonald, Cheal (Marshall 90).

City's match against Hyde on Saturday saw few chances for either side. However it was Hyde who took the initiative and the three points when George Switzer's free kick was powerfully headed into the net by David Nolan.

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