town triumph in tricky test

Wade Hurst brings the ball under control.

Market Rasen Town 2

Skegness Town climbed up to second in the Balcan Lighting Supplies Lincolnshire League after completing a league and cup double over struggling Market Rasen Town.

The Lilywhites had already knocked Rasen out of the Challenge Cup, but returned to Rase Park knowing this could be one of the banana skins to put the skid under their title challenge.

Indeed, Rasen had shown they were capable of turning the form guides on their head with surprise 3-2 wins at both Skegness grounds this season.

But, on a gluepot of a pitch, the seasiders did enough to earn the three points to lift them onto the shoulder of Sleaford Town Reserves, who were defeated at Horncastle.

The gap at the top has now been reduced to five points and Skegness have two games in hand.

The Lilywhites started brightly and took the lead through Will Britton’s 11th league goal of the season.

There were fears that dark clouds gathering over Rase Park could bring things to a close as both sides struggled to play any football on a very sticky surface, but they passed without dropping their contents.

The lead was doubled by Luke Rayner-Mistry before Andrew Belt pulled a goal back for the home side.

Just before the break McCauley Parker restored the two-goal advantage with his eighth in all competitions, direct from a free kick.

After the break Skegness continued to dominate.

Arron Scutt was particularly prominent in midfield, snuffing out any threat from the home side in front of his back four.

But the visitors failed to add to their tally, thanks in large part to home keeper Dale Christie’s resilience.

They were eventually gifted their fourth goal when defender Lewis King headed past his own keeper following a left wing corner.

Miles Chamberlain saw a free kick rebound off the foot of a post after he had curled the ball round the defensive wall, with Christie rooted to his line.

And when Jordan Smith entered the fray with 20 to go, he added new impetus to the search for goals.

Christie responded with some fine saves to deny Smith, Rayner-Mistry and Britton.

Late in the game Rasen bagged their second goal when substitute Kieran Togher stole in behind the visitors’ defence to guide the ball past Ashley Bentley.

TOWN: Bentley, Warren, Epton, Scutt, Chamberlain, L. Parker, Hurst, Davison, Britton, M. Parker, Rayner-Mistry, Smith, Parish, Veall.

On Saturday Skegness return to Burgh Road for a top-of-the-table clash with Wyberton (KO 3pm).