Boro hit back for draw at Lancaster

The result ended a frustrating period after consecutive defeats at Witton and Kendal, setting them up for the final straight before the Doodson Sports Trophy final.

Boro came to life after the break and in the end they were possibly unlucky not to leave the Giant Axe with all three points.

The first half was one to forget for Boro, though they did manage to remain in the game after 45 minutes of battery from Lancaster.

Lancaster made the breakthrough the the game just 18 minutes old, when burly defender Neil Marshall bundled home from close range.

Keeper Max Dearnley was nowhere to be seen on that goal, though the youngster was heavily involved in the minutes that followed.

He saved superbly when Jacob Davis angled a looping header in on his goal. Then Dearnley's clearance struck the raiding Jacob Gregory, the ball rolling inches wide of the post.

Gregory was proving to be a true thorn in Boro's side, as Dave Merris had to make a saving tackle a split second before the attacker was about to let fly.

Gregory did manage to get a shot away seconds later, but that skimmed the top of the Boro bar.

After a flat first half, Boro finally snapped into their groove after the break.

They survived a scare when Dearnley glided majestically through the air to clutch a shot from Terry Cummings.

Then Dean Lisles released himself from the shackles of his defensive duties to restore parity in confident fashion.

The defender strode gracefully forward and after a one-two off a Lancaster man he bent the ball into the bottom corner.

The pace slowed after this, though Lancaster twice went close when Craig Carney and Bobby Langford charged through on goal. Panic set in for both and the opportunities were missed.

Boro threw on Callum Robinson and Chris Bolder in a bid to liven things up in the latter stages, but as the game ticked on towards the final whistle, the visitors seemed spent as an attacking force.

They did have the chance to snatch it in the final seconds though when the ball fell kindly to the feet of Jamie Price on the edge of the box. The midfielder let fly with a right-footed effort that beat the keeper, but annoyingly beat the post and the game remained level.