LANCASTER CITY maintained their four point advantage over title rivals FC Halifax with a superb performance away at Colwyn Bay.
The Dolly Blues were steadfast in defence and lightning on the attack as they soaked up the home side's pressure and st
ruck on the counter.
The goals came in either half from an Adam Farrell penalty and a long-range free-kick from Paul Jarvis and the Dolly Blues, as they have done consistently this season, created enough chances to have made this embarrassing.
On seven minutes Jarvis showed a great burst of pace and powered into the box where he was hauled down by Dave Challinor for a nailed on penalty; which Farrell firmly tucked away.
Jarvis was at the nub of most of City's attacks and chances in the first half. First he showed great feet in beating two men to release Jordan Connerton who just did not have the space to lift the ball over the onrushing 'keeper.
Then a lovely move was narrowly dragged wide by Jarvis after Connerton headed down for Mike Rushton to explode past two defenders and play him into space.
It was Farrell who had the sharpest chance to make it two-nil before the break. Jarvis picked up a throw-in and scooted along the edge of the box before slicing a volley across goal which Farrell met with his head at the back post. The chance went begging.
The home side had a lot of the ball but were altogether too flat and lateral, playing into the hands of the solid City spine of a rock-like Michael Stringfellow and Chris Ward in central midfield and brutish Andrew Teague and Jonathan Smith in the heart of the defence.
Rushton had yet another excellent game down the right and he provided Jarvis with another plum chance just inside the second-half. Connerton was his usual bullish self as he rolled his marker and released Rushton who, free on goal, squared for Jarvis who was indecisive in the finish.
Jarvis got his goal eventually – thanks to some generous defending. A free-kick wide on the right was fizzed across the six-yard box and left alone by all, including the goalkeeper who duly picked it out of the bottom corner of his goal.
It was thanks to the reflexes of Martin Fearon that City came away with a well deserved clean sheet. He produced two marvellous saves in the closing stages – stopping a point blank effort from Tim Brandreth and tipping a dipping volley from Greg Stones onto the bar.
With last Saturday's blip at Harrogate firmly erased the Dolly Blues can put their feet up this Saturday (nuances of the fixture list mean there is no game) and hope that FC Halifax slip up against Colwyn Bay-the pressure is on.
COLWYN BAY: Sanna, Olsen (Sheehan 72), Ablett (Brandreth 69), Meadowcroft, Challinor, Graves, Sheridan, Kelly, Black (Denson 69), Stones, Davey
Subs not used: Lynch, Jackson
LANCASTER CITY: Fearon 8, Heffernan 7, Marshall 7, Smith 8, Teague 8, Ward C 7, Rushton 8 (Rothwell 76), Stringfellow 7, Connerton 7 (Jackson 76), Farrell 7, Jarvis 8
Subs not used: Elliot, Kenyon
Attendance: 262
Referee: A D Hutchinson
STARMAN: Paul Jarvis Could have had a hatful, will settle for a return to sparkling form
