Lancaster City’s visitors left with three points on Saturday.

Lancaster City fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat against Leek Town when they met at Giant Axe on Saturday, writes CONNOR PHILIPSON.

Despite a strong start to the match, the Dollies fell behind on two separate occasions with the second goal coming almost immediately after Jules Flanagan’s first in Dolly Blue.

City boss Jimmy Marshall was forced into changes, with Cameron Graham in goal because of Brad Kelly’s absence and Kyle Brownhill making his second Dollies debut at left-back.

A golden opportunity came the Dolly Blues’ way inside the opening five minutes as a lovely passing move inside the area earned Marshall’s players their first chance at goal.

Dylan Thompson dinked the ball into the feet of James Bailey, who then helped it on to Dom Lawson and gave the forward a tight, angled chance on goal.

However, Leek keeper Yusuf Mersin did well to throw himself at it and push the ball away from goal.

James Nolan then saw his fierce volley deflected just wide as the Dollies continued to pile on the early pressure.

Lancaster also came close on two more occasions shortly afterwards.

Joe Amison headed onto the roof of the net and James Bailey bent a shot just wide of the bottom right corner.

For all of the early Lancaster chances, it was the visiting side who opened the scoring on 28 minutes.

Jack Griffiths found himself behind the City backline and slotted the ball past Graham to break the deadlock.

The Dollies levelled three minutes before half-time, however, as Sam Bailey’s long throw was only cleared as far as Flanagan.

He hammered it goalwards with the ball taking a wicked deflection on its way through, sending it it beyond Mersin’s reach and putting Marshall’s players back on terms.

However, they quickly went behind again as Connor Heath fashioned some space inside the area before poking the ball past Graham and leaving Lancaster back at square one.

Chasing an equaliser in the second half, they came close with 25 minutes remaining when Sam Bailey’s 20-yard free-kick struck the woodwork.

That was the nearest they came to scoring as Thompson headed just wide in stoppage time after being picked out by Sam Bailey.

Lancaster City: Graham, S Bailey, Brownhill, Amison, Thompson, Fofana (B Moonan 89), Flanagan, Nolan (Tweedley 64), J Bailey (Evangelinos 71), Lawson (C Bailey 64), Yawson.

Leek Town: Mersin, Buckley, Curl (Meadowcroft 46), Holding, Hockenhull, Heywood, Porter (Reeves 57), Weir, Heath (Panter 72), Griffiths, Campbell (Towns 86). Sub not used: Shenton.