Hyde United 2 Lancaster City 4

COMEBACK kings Lancaster City made sure that Phil Wilson's tactical tinkering reaped a rich reward as they bounced back from the brink to hammer Hyde.

The City boss changed his starting line-up and then changed the shape of his side at the interval to bemuse Hyde and give his high quaility team the edge.

The win erased the memories of City's heartbreaking FA Cup defeat at Ewen Fields three weeks ago - but the day got off to the worst possible start as goalkeeper Anthony McMillan made the most horrendous mistake to gift Hyde the lead.

McMillan, as good a keeper as there is in Conference North, dribbled out of his penalty area and then tried to take the ball past Matty McNeil.

Big mistake! McNeil stole the ball off McMillan's toes and rolled home the opener into an empty net as McMillan's face turned bright red.

Maybe that's why he plays in goal - but the measure of the man was proved with his magnificent reaction.

He recovered from that error to dominate his penalty area superby and cope with everything Hyde threw at him from that moment on in style.

Then City's day got worse when Iain Swan was stretchered off after dislodging his kneecap while making a fine tackle forcing Wilson to send Stuart Howson into the fray.

And Howson had barely had time to settle in when Hyde went 2-0 up thanks to Dale Johnson's goal as the City defence failed to clear.

But from that moment on Lancaster lifted their game and Ryan-Zico Black had a perfectly good goal chalked off by an offiside flag before the recalled striker latched on to a bad back pass and shot home on the stroke of half time.

That was the lifeline City needed as Wilson sent three men into attack and replaced skipper Gary Bauress with Nick Rogan - and then they had a little stroke of luck when Hyde twice hit the woodwork in the frantic first few moments of the second period.

But as soon as City drew level there could only be one winner as Wilson's terrific trio of strikers ran Hyde ragged.

Ryan Elderton's cross found Alex Taylor - but his header was somehow kept out by Mark Westhead.

The magnificent Taylor, who deserved a goal for his efforts alone, dived in for the rebound - but Black beat him to it and it was 2-2.

City were now playing the most beautiful football, passing Hyde to death - but it was starting to look as though all their hard work would only leave them with a point until Rogan's majestic intervention.

He charged a ball down in the centre of the field and set off on a run to goal.

Hyde couldn't get near him and with Taylor also storming through the United defence was in tatters.

Rogan never took his eyes of the goal though and blasted home to kick-start a celebration and a half.

It could have been 4-2 when Westhead somehow pushed another Rogan effort to safety but in stoppage time Rogan went clear again.

And this time he wasn't to be denied his brace as he finished with style and panache way above Conference North level.

The whistle blew and the smiles were back on Lancaster faces with Wilson's wizardry reaping the reward it deserved.

Lancaster City: McMillan 7, McMahon 6, Scott 8, Swan 7 (Howson 19, 7), Eckersley 7 (Uberschar 83), Morris 6, Bauress 7 (Rogan 46 9), Bond 8, Elderton 8, Black 9, Taylor 9. Sub (not used): Shaw