Marshall targets play-offs after 'sloppy' spell for Lancaster
Lancaster City's long-awaited return to Northern Premier League action at the Giant Axe has yielded four points from two games and boss Jimmy Marshall hopes his side can now climb back into the play-off zone.
Having gone two weeks without a fixture and over a month without a home league game, two in four days saw the Dolly Blues follow Saturday's 3-2 win over Ashton United with a 1-1 draw against Hyde United on Tuesday.
Sam Bailey secured City's double over Ashton with a penalty on the hour. Jason Gilchrist had twice equalised for the visitors in the first half, after Dom Lawson and then Nic Evangelinos put the hosts in front.
It was a first league win since November for Lancaster, who had taken one point from their previous five games.
Struggling Hyde denied them back-to-back wins, though substitute Lewis Mansell rescued Marshall's side with a 77th-minute equaliser, scored on the rebound after fellow sub Steven Yawson’s effort was saved by Yusuf Mersin.
Hopes of building late momentum from that goal weren't helped by a break in play because of a drone in the vicinity. The Dolly Blues had started brightly but fell behind on 23 minutes, when Ben Kershaw fed Braulio Maieco and he found the top corner.
The point wasn't enough to lift Hyde out of the relegation zone, whereas Lancaster are again focusing on the other end of the table – they are now eighth and four points outside the top five.
Speaking to the club's media team after the weekend win, Marshall said: “We were disappointed to drop out of the play-off picture but our aim is to get back in.
“I couldn't say one of my lads was below par, whereas I haven't been able to say that much in recent weeks.
“We've had a bit of a tough run, and we've been doing a bit of head-scratching at times because we haven't done anything differently.
“The crowd have stuck with us while we've been a little sloppy. There are a lot of hard yards ahead but this was a good start."
Marshall named the same starting line-up for both games and added: “Sometimes breaks do you good. The players have applied themselves brilliantly in training.”
The Hyde game was the first of back-to-back Tuesday matches at the Giant Axe. They welcome Rushall Olympic for another rearranged fixture next week following Saturday's visit to Guiseley.
LANCASTER: Kelly, S Bailey, Amison, Bjork, Grand, Oliver, C Bailey, Caine, Lawson, Evangelinos, Sloan