Lincoln United suffered a 1-0 home defeat at home to Ossett United on Saturday afternoon.
Report by Matthew Williams.
The Whites were looking to get back to winning ways after a run of three deafeats in a row which had harmed their promotion bid.
The rain began to lash down as the game got underway and the first 15 minutes were hard-fought and lacking in any real chances as the sides wrestled for control of the game.
The game burst into life after 18 minutes. The first real chance of the game saw the away side take the lead. Christopher Chandler whipped in a cross and Adam Priestley rose to place an excellent header past Michael Emery in the Lincoln goal.
The Whites battled hard for a response but Ossett were well organised and it took until the half hour mark for the home side to have a meaningful effort on goal. Andy Hutchinson’s curling effort wasn’t dealt with confidently by Brett Souter in the Ossett goal but Tom Garrick was ruled offside on the follow up.
Jack Wightwick then fizzed an effort wide from outside the box on his first start since returning to Lincoln United.
The Whites began to build momentum as Michael Jacklin headed over from a Jonathan Williams corner five minutes prior to the break.
The first half ended with a Chandler free kick going into the Lincoln side netting and the away side take a one goal advantage into half-time.
Few chances for either team in the first half. The away side edging ahead and Lincoln needing an extra cutting edge to get back in the game.
However, it was the away side who dominated possession early in the second half. The first sign of a Lincoln threat did come from Matt Cotton whose long range effort drifted wide.
Cotton had another half chance but sent his swivelling shot over the bar. The Whites best chance came moments later when neat play saw Tom Garrick through on goal. The attacker was thwarted by a last-ditch challenge as he was about to pull the trigger. Lincoln looked to build on perhaps their best moment of the game thus far.
The away side were next to come close, a deft lob from veteran Andy Monkhouse looped narrowly over the bar.
Moments later, Ossett came even closer to doubling their lead. Scorer of the first Priestley seized on a misplaced pass from Lincoln captain Sean Wright and raced through on goal on the left side of the box. His side foot finish beat the keeper but also the post and the score remained 1-0 to Ossett.
Ossett then had another two chances to extend their lead. The Whites has Emery to thank for two fine saves, first to deny Adam Porritt and then Priestley.
Lincoln then had what proved to be their final chance to equalise with just under 5 minutes to go. Final substitute Callum Dye beared down on goal but saw his strike palmed away for a corner by Souter.
Lincoln threw everything at Ossett in order to earn a point, including sending goalkeeper Emery up to join an attack. The breakaway which followed saw Aidan Chippendale running through the Lincoln half with an empty net ahead of him. However, a terrific block saved Lincoln and saw the score line remain at 1-0.
That was how it stayed as Ossett saw out the remaining moments of the game and took all three points back to Yorkshire.
The result moves Ossett up to fifth in the Evo-Stik East Division but Sees Lincoln fall to 10th.
The Whites are without a win in nine matches and need to reverse their fortunes quickly if they are to have any hope of a play-off place this season.
Their next match sees them travel to Marske United who the Whites beat 3-2 in an enthralling encounter earlier this season.