Lancaster City boss urges men to make it count - Mark Fell frustrated by team's inability to take their chances

The Dolly Blues manager was left frustrated once more after his team failed to make the most of a catalogue of chances they created at Scarborough Athletic on Saturday.

In the end, City were beaten 2-0 – the fifth time in their last seven NPL Premier Division games that they have drawn a blank in front of goal.

After netting 15 goals in their first five league games, the goals have somewhat dried up with only another nine goals coming in their next 13 fixtures.

Losing the services of young striker Sam Fishburn, who returned to parent club Carlisle United in September, was a major blow.

He notched eight goals in just a handful of appearances for City and Fell has struggled to replace that source of goals.

However, he remains pleased with the performances overall and is convinced that his men will start clicking in front of goal sooner rather than later.

“We played really well on Saturday but I have said that a lot this season haven’t I?” said Fell, who will prepare his side for a FA Trophy contest away at Gainsborough Trinity this weekend.

“Ultimately, it was a 55 minute game because the sending off of our striker Nathan Reid has undoubtedly changed the game.

“Up to that point, they have had one attempt on goal which they scored from and as the game opened up, we’re down to 10 men, they were always going to get several more chances towards the end of the game.

“Before that though we had created three very good chances, countless other half chances.

“Liam Brockbank blazes over when one-on-one with the goalkeeper, Paul Dawson has one cleared off the line.

“We came out for the second half, started well and had a couple of opportunities where the ball has flashed across the goal.

“I am sitting there feeling positive that the breakthrough is going to come but then the sending off comes and changes the game.

“It is a recurring theme that we are giving away soft goals and lacking that killer instinct. I still take a lot of positives from the game. Somebody will take a battering from us because we will click in front of goal.

“We do spend a lot of time on attacking and finishing in training.

“We haven’t got a goalscorer but having said that we didn’t two seasons ago but we still managed to score enough but we haven’t done this season.

“We need to find ways of scoring goals.”

On Tuesday, City host Squires Gate in the LFA Challenge Trophy.

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