[themaclad]

Lancaster City 4 Whitby Town 1 Att 240

The one good thing about changing divisions either going up or down is that you get to see different sides who you don't often play, this was only Whitby's ninth visit to the Axe.
On a coolish late Summer evening the two sides met for an Evo Stick Premier League game, at the start of play City were in 11th position whilst the visitors were 20th.
Whitby had in their midst ex league player Andy Monkhouse whilst City had PNE first team squad player Melle Meulensteen who is on loan at Lancaster until Christmas.
The game only came alive when City took the lead after 17 minutes when Harries went on a surging run, his shot was parried by Bland to Wood who had the easy task of scoring from the rebound, there may have been a hint of offside but no flag went up. One Whitby fan was less than impressed with the decision and went to explain to the linesman who wearing glasses may improve his vision. Eight minutes later it was two, when Meulensteen's super cross found Carney at the back post to nod the ball home.
Whitby offered little although to be fair to them did actually play some decent passing football. The aforementioned Monkhouse felt the twanging of a hamstring and departed the pitch before half time.
City raced out of the gates after half time, had a goal disallowed and had two other efforts which went narrowly wide, it was all City and their young side were running the visitors ragged however the third goal did not come and gradually Whitby bossed the game for about 10 minutes and were rewarded with a goal when Campbell reduced the arrears on the hour.
City's management team were getting worried but then made an inspired substitution with the arrival Tam.
Another surging Harries run, shot parried Tam from close range made it three, game over, thirteen minutes from time surging run from Tam, shot parried by Bland and Bailey buried the rebound.
City could have had more but Bland kept them out, a well deserved win for City with a performance which was top notch.