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Three Out of Three as Development Squad win at Lancaster

Two second half strikes from Frank van Gils saw the lads make it three wins from three games at Lancaster City. A Lewis Pilgrim strike pulled a goal back for the home side to make the final score 2-1.

Giving the new white kit its team debut, FC United started the game brightly, if somewhat anxiously. Half a dozen chances were created in the first fifteen minutes but wayward finishing meant Michael Donlon in the home goal was untested. Indeed it took that long for Lancaster to have any meaningful possession in the FC half.

At that point the heavens opened and it was torrential rain for the rest of the first half. This coincided with Lancaster getting back into the game and posing goal threat of their own. Fortunately the home finishing was equally wasteful.

As we approached the half hour mark, FC resumed the business of attacking football, John Pritchard continued to provide an effective link from back to front and Frank was running his defensive marker ragged. He came closest to scoring in the first half when Dominic Barratt intercepted a pass on half way and drilled pass to the far post and Frank, sliding in got a touch but not enough to test the keeper.

The second half saw an improvement in the weather as well as FC’s composure in front of goal. The first ten minutes saw both sides finally draw saves from the opposing keeper and a John Pritchard shot hit the post. FC United took the lead on the hour as a Michael Brewster free kick was knocked down for van Gils to fire home.

Having come on as a substitute slightly earlier, Justin Johnson spent the rest of the game giving the Lancaster right back a torrid time, cutting in from the wing he ran past a posse of defenders looking for room to shoot, but off target and providing Pritchard with a chance to test Donlon in the following ten minutes. Then on 70 minutes it was 2-0 when Pritchard burst forward and threaded a pass through the home defence vor van Gils to run on to and coolly pass it beyond the home keeper.

At this point it seemed to be game over and the question being asked of the lads was how many more could they score. Credit though, has to be given to Lancaster, who didn’t give up and looked to pose a threat of their own. After 81 minutes, Lewis Pilgrim applied the finishing touch to a break down the right wing and cross into the box.

This made for a tense last ten minutes as Lancaster now looked for an equaliser and FC countered in effort to restore their two goal lead. In the end neither side created any further clear chance and the game ended with the points heading back down the M6.

Team management awarded man of the match to Frank van Gils for his two goals added to constant movement. Honourable mentions go to debutante Nathan Chorlton in central defence and Charlie Doyle at left back, though in what was probably their biggest test so far, no-one was found wanting. Competitive action takes a short break before the home programme begins at Nichols on September 6th kick off at 2pm against Ashton Athletic.

Lancaster City: 1. Michael Donlon 2. Daniel Birch 3. Joshua Wardle 4. Aaron Hoyle 5. Lewis Plackett 6. Connor Crossley 7. Joshua Donnelly 8. Aaron Jones 9. Sam Kirby 10. Royston Rachier 11. Mambwe Chilufya Substitutes: 12 Adam Bee 14. Kane Harding 15. Kane Winder 16. Lewis Pilgrim 17. Liam Cutts.

FC United of Manchester: 1. Chris Taylor 2. Daniel Akubuine 3. Charlie Doyle 4. Michael Brewster 5. Dominic Barratt 6. Nathan Chorlton 7. Frank van Gils 8. Dean Hope 9. Rhys Coogan 10. John Pritchard 11. Jason Fowles Substitutes: 12. Matthew Toseland 14. Billy Nugent 15. Justin Johnson 16. Ryan Saxon 18. Medi Bakinama



First Posted ~ 12:31 Fri 22 Aug 2014
News ID ~ 5654
Last Updated ~ 01:52 Tue 16 Feb 2021