REMEMBER the date of January 1. For when May comes around and the Conference North play-offs begin it may prove to be the pivotal moment of Lancaster City's season.

Their involvement in those play-offs would be nothing less than they deserve on style and determination alone.

So often they have not got their rewards but against Barrow the Dolly Blues showed battling qualities that even they may not have realised they had.

A goal down playing into the rain and wind after losing three players to injury in the first half, City were truly amazing.

Spirit, style, determination, Phil Wilson's men had it all in front of a bumper holiday crowd who were happy to get soaking wet at the Giant Axe.

The day got off to a bad start for Wilson when he lost centre-half Joe McMahon to a knee injury before kick-off.

But that didn't seem to damage City's chances as they started well with the wind at their backs and Tony Sullivan leading Barrow a merry dance on the right, while Ryan-Zico Black was far too classy for the Cumbrian's limited defenders.

But for all Lancaster's early domination and long-range shooting, they couldn't make the breakthrough.

And they were made to pay on 17 minutes when Barrow went in front from their first noteworthy attack of the game.

A corner wasn't dealt with and Mike Kewley stabbed home from close range.

City were not going to take that shock lying down and were nearly level on the half hour when Black crossed from the left and Steve Jones appeared a certain scorer until his header was, somehow, clawed to safety by keeper Adam Capp.

Then Black was pushed in the back as he shaped to shoot but defender Karl Colley escaped when a penalty appeared likely.

Ryan Elderton limped out of the game with a knee injury late in the first half, while skipper Gary Bauress and the influential Neil Prince were forced off at the break thanks to hamstring strains.

That appeared to be a hammer blow but substitutes Ian Dawes, Neil Uberschar and young Lee Foxcroft battled their hearts out and the tide turned in City's favour five minutes after the re-start when they drew level as Sullivan's corner was only half cleared and Jones shot home from 15-yards.

If that goal against the wind wasn't enough, Lancaster went 2-1 ahead seven minutes later in great style.

Again Sullivan whipped the cross over after zipping down the right and there was Peter Thierry' Thomson to apply the cool finish from close range.

But any ideas of City running away with the game were soon blown out of the water as the wind became even stronger.

Barrow threw everything forward in search of an equaliser that would not have been just but it was testament to City's defence the game finished 2-1.

Andy Scott, Martin Clark and Paul Sparrow were all outstanding as Barrow never really got the chance to test Jamie Speare in the closing stages.

And now, just six points away from the play-off zone with a game in handthat run towards May is on.

CITY: Speare, Scott, Sparrow, Clark, Sullivan, Elderton (Dawes 44), Bauress (Uberschar 46), Prince (Foxcroft 46), Black, Jones, Thomson. Subs (not used): Miller, Hollis.