Evangelinos strike seals Trophy triumph for Lancaster City
Lancaster City have won the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy, beating Padiham 1-0 in the final on Wednesday night.
Striker Nic Evangelinos scored the only goal after 11 minutes at the County Ground in Leyland.
Evangelinos, who scored twice in the semi-final win over Clitheroe, fired home from the edge of the box following a corner.
He nearly added a second 10 minutes later but shot straight at Padiham keeper Matthew Hamnett.
The Dolly Blues had chances to extend their lead in the second half, when Steven Yawson curled a shot wide, Bobby Bjork went close and fellow substitute Dom Lawson saw his shot cleared off the line in added-time.
Padiham play two levels below Lancaster in the NW Counties Premier and have qualified for the play-offs. They had chances too and City keeper Brad Kelly was tested at times, tipping one header over the crossbar.
Lancaster last won the trophy in 2020 – the only time they had lifted it in the past half-century.
The focus now shifts to the final two Northern Premier League games as Jimmy Marshall’s side bid to climb into the play-off places, starting with a trip to fellow contenders Stockton Town on Saturday.
LANCASTER: Kelly, S Bailey, Grand, Amison, Oliver, Nolan, Moonan, Sloan, Evangelinos, Caine, Yawson; Subs used: Bjork (for Caine), Mansell (for Yawson), Thompson (for Grand), Craig (for Moonan), Lawson (for Evangelinos).