Lancaster 1 Emley 1CITY are still searching for their first league win of 1999.

However, signs from this match show that with a bit more luck they shouldn't be kept waiting for too long - and with the return of Steve Trainor and Stuart Diggle during the game Blues' fans have reason to be optimistic ahead of Saturday's trip to Bishop Auckland

The most notable chance for City in the first half fell in the 27th minute. Dean Martin teed himself up and then fired in a 20-yard volley which was well tipped over.

Then in the 39th minute came the most controversial incident. City fans will remember that at Northampton in the F.A.Cup a player was sent off for the Cobblers because of the contact he made with Thornley. It looked like this would happen for Emley when Mark Wilson stamped on Thornley's arm leaving him the scars to prove it. But supporters were bemused and angry when not only was he not sent off, not only wasn't he booked, but it wasn't even deemed to be a foul so play continued, leaving Wilson to tap the ball into an empty net.

After immense pressure on the Emley goal, Lancaster finally equalised in the 69th minute when Stuart Diggle's parried shot was fired in by Kevin Barnes.

Throughout the match, Stuart Parkinson's runs down the left wing were truly inspirational and kept on giving City every chance to score and he saved the best for last. In the 85th minute, Parkinson started near the half way and took the ball past four Emley players, leaving himself in the 18 yard box.

Everyone was expecting a shot but Parkinson unselfishly squared the ball to Graham Taylor who blazed the ball well over.

City could and should have won this game.

Team: Thornley, Abram (Hartley 71), Graham, Udall, Baldwin (c), Gelling, Martin, Cheal (Taylor 71), Diggle (Trainor 77), Barnes, Parkinson.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.