By Garry Clarke Pictures John Hopkin
WARRINGTON Rylands came from a goal behind to beat Lancaster City and record their second consecutive home 2-1 win beating Lancaster City to maintain Michael Clegg’s unbeaten home record.
In a frantic opening period which saw play switch from end to end both sides had opportunities to score.
Mo Touray and Osebi Abadaki were off target with shots for Rylands while Sam Egerton headed narrowly wide from a corner and Joe Adams had a free kick saved by Lancaster goalkeeper Sam Waller.
Waller’s opposite number Luke Pilling pulled off a brilliant save to keep out a Nic Evangelinos effort on the 20 minute mark. From the resultant corner Lancaster claimed the ball had crossed into the net but referee Oliver Noonan was having none of it and waved play on.
The visitors took the lead in the 34th minute when a long throw found the head of Misambo Rudi whose near post header flew into the far top corner of the Rylands net.
Rylands were back on level pegging three minutes before the half time break. Battling his way along the by line in a crowded Lancaster penalty area, Joe Adams was bundled over by Rudi prompting the award of a penalty kick, from which Mo Touray sent the keeper the wrong way.
Lancaster started the second half on the attack with Pilling doing well to keep out a low firmly driven free kick from Sam Bailey but Rylands started to come more into the game Abadaki directing a header goal wards for it to be cleared by Nathan Woodthorpe, while Dean Furman shot over the bar from distance.
After a period of growing Rylands pressur hit the front in the 59th minute. Osebi Abadaki broke clear of the Lancaster defence and on the edge of the area lifted the ball into the roof of the net over the diving body of the advancing Lancaster goalkeeper.
Lancaster, who were forced to play out the final 15 minutes with ten men following Niall Cowperthwaite’s dismissal having received two yellow cards, pushed forward in search of an equaliser but could not find a way past a strong Rylands defence which held on for the three points.
WARRINGTON RYLANDS: Pilling Neild Mustoe Duxbury Egerton Furman Adams (Mantack) Sargent Oppong (Amaral) Touray Abadaki; Subs not used: Hunt Wright Hindle
LANCASTER CITY: Waller S Bailey (Robinson) Brownhill Zuk Misambo Woodthorpe Carroll (Connelly) Cowperthwaite Evangelinos Norris (Sloan) C Bailey; Subs not used Gallagher-Allison Tweedley
GOALS – Rylands Touray 42, Obadaki 59 Lancaster 34
Referee Oliver Noonan Attendance 347
Man of the Match selected by match sponsors Barrow Electrical = Joe Adams
