Tom Kilifin is congratuated after scoring his first goal in Lancaster City’s 3-0 win at Ossett Town
John Reed pulled no punches after Ossett Town’s disappointing 3-0 defeat to Evo Stik Division One North play-offs chasers Lancaster City, writes James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson).
Ossett were soundly beaten at Ingfield by Lancaster with two goals from Tom Kilifin and one from Lee Dodgson enough to secure Darren Peacock’s an important victory in the race for the play-offs.
Ossett’s woes were compounded by Louis Horne’s dismissal in the closing stages for a second bookable offence.
Reed has previously admitted that the play-offs are his aim for next season and he says that his team have to perform to the standard of Lancaster if they want to achieve that target.
“I’m gutted because it was an absolutely shocking performance and that’s what I have just told them in there, but a bit louder though of course,” he said.
“It was awful and the worst (performance) since I came here. There was a lack of fight, desire, heart and yet ironically in the first 15 minutes when Louis Horne had one headed off-the-line I thought we looked really on top of the game.
“After that we got a lesson.
“I will have to say the referee was shocking. He was as bad as our team because the first goal that they scored he missed a foul right in front of him.
“We were beaten by the better team in the end and it wasn’t the referee’s fault. We can’t take anything away from Lancaster because they deserved to win 3-0 in the end in my opinion.
“Next year I know what’s required and I expect us to be as good as them. It’s going to be a hard long slog and we have a lot of repairs to do for next year.”
Ryan Williams attempts to start an attack for Ossett Town
As Reed said, Ossett did start brightly and looked like a match for Lancaster. But, their performance began to unravel midway through the first half and Lancaster slowly took control.
Dodgson and Simon Wearing both came to close to breaking the deadlock before the latter supplied the former with the pass for the opening goal. Dodgson struck a sweet low shot into the right-hand bottom corner and Lancaster were on their way to victory.
Tom Kilifin looks delighted after his magnificent second goal for Lancaster at Ossett Town
There was one brief scare on 57 minutes as Ossett had a Jimmy Eyles strike chalked off for offside. Manager Peacock made it known that it was let off and within a minute, Lancaster had scored the decisive second goal. Danger man Kilifin forced his way into the box and put his foot through the ball and the shot was far too powerful for Sam Dobbs to hold.
Kilifin almost got his second almost immediately, but he blazed high and wide from a good position. However, he made up for that glaring miss by scoring the goal of the day.
Ossett made the mistake of allowing him time and space with the ball and Kilifin was able to hit a tremendous direct shot into the right bottom corner from 25-yards – a perfect way to round off an important victory.
Ossett Town’s Louis Horne was sent off in the closing stages
The home side were finished off and their nightmare day ended with Horne making an early exit for a foul on Billy Akgrigg.
Ossett Town: Dobbs, Kilburn (Cross 72), Jeff (captain), Horne, Connor, Wood, Williams, Kuba-Kuba, Branagan (Wood 62), Eyles, Ovington (Semley 62). Sub unused: Akeister.
Lancaster City: Hale, Henry, Elderton, Davis, Marshall (captain) (Taylor 81), Hunter (Akgrig 76), Winder, Walker, Wearing, Dodgson (Clark 70), Kilifin. Subs unused: Hudson, Donlon.
Referee: C Akers
Ref Rating: 8/10
Attendance: 151
Man of the match: Tom Kilifin (Lancaster City)
Match Photos are HERE