Lancaster City score three second half goals to beat Gainsborough Trinity and keep play-off hopes alive

But it could have been a different story with how the first half played out.

The first chance fell to the visitors in the first minute, neat play down the right hand side and a ball across the face of goal from Jordan Helliwell gave Fraser Preston the chance for an immediate lead, but his shot was expertly saved by Brad Kelly.

The Holy Blues continued on their offensive and on five minutes, Kelly was called upon again, this time to prevent Sisa Tuntulwana's deflected shot from going in.

Jack Leckie headed wide from a corner on nine minutes, continuing to knock on the Dolly Blue door looking for an opener.

Helliwell was continuing to cause a nuisance as he drove forward with the ball and his shot from the edge of the box brought Kelly back into action with a save.

A throw in caused Lancaster City more grief, as the ball ended up in the box - Javelle Clarke one-on-one with the Dollies' keeper and his effort went wide of the post.

After withstanding Gainsborough pressure for the majority of the first half, City threatened in the attacking third - Nic Evangelinos saw two shots blocked in quick succession, anc Christian Sloan saw a tame effort from 12 yards out saved by David Robson.

Tuntulwana saw another shot saved by Kelly before Sloan had a 30 yard effort saved low into the corner by Robson again.

Nathan Caine was the next player to test Robson from range, again going getting down low to keep the scoreline 0-0.

The second half started with the Dolly Blues in the ascendency.

Dylan Moonan's half volley in the box was deflected over for a corner, before Kelly was called upon again to thwart Tuntulwana once more.

It was on 55 minutes that the Dolly Blues opened the scoring.

Winning the ball from a Gainsborough throw in and from the blocked Caine shot, Sam Bailey picked up the ball and from 25 yards out and his low effort wrong footed Robson to net his fourth goal of the season.

The second came two minutes later.

Bailey was involved again, switching the ball to Evangelinos, who cushioned it down for Joe Amison who took the ball past Preston and lashed the ball home for his third of the campaign.

Gainsborough rallied to create half chances but it was the Dollies who were looking most likely to score.

Amison set up Evangelinos, but the Dollies’ top scorer could only find the foot of the post.

The third goal came in injury time, an in-swinging Dylan Thompson corner was punched into his own net by Robson.

The result didn't move Lancaster City any further up the table, remaining in seventh, but it did take the play-off chase into the penultimate league game next Saturday - away to Stockton Town, who are ahead of the Dollies on goal difference.