Gainsborough Trinity 3 v Handsworth Parramore 0 - PSF

Monday 25th July 2016

Pre-Season Friendly

at the Martin & Co Arena, Northolme

Gainsborough Trinity (0) 3
Jacob Hazel 56, Gavin Rothery 62, James Reid 80

Handsworth Parramore (0) 0
Admission £5

Team managers: Dom Roma and Micky Godber

Congratulations to Handsworth Parramorte who won the Toolstation Cup at the weekend, when they beat Odd Down of the Western League 4-0 in the final.
Tonight marked the first of four midweek friendly games for the visitors who host Ossett Albion tomorrow, travel to Nostell Miners Welfare on Wednesday, before welcoming the new Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder and his first team, to the Windsor Foodservices Stadium on Friday.
That last fixture is quite a coup... for the Blades!

Worksop Town fans of a nervous disposition
LOOK AWAY NOW!

While I'm feeling benevolent about promoting fixtures for local clubs: Gainsborough Trinity face Grimsby Town at the Northolme on Wednesday night, Sheffield United on Saturday and Hull City next Tuesday.
All three of these games kick off at 7.30pm.
Sadly the 'Holy Blues' trip to Cleethorpes Town on Thursday night has been cancelled. Which is especially inconvenient for me because I've arranged a trip to the coast with my family that day, that facilitated me visiting the Linden Homes Club while I bribed them with bags of loose change to blitz the arcades with.
Alas, being a man of my word, theday/evening arrangement still stands and I'll be stuffing my face with candyfloss instead of watching any football that night.

Micky Godber's side were relishing the opportunity to impose themselves in this game against opposition of the calibre of Gainsborough Trinity and they were afforded the opportunity to test themselves against two virtually different sides, as Dom Roma (who is getting his team to play some aesthetically pleasing football, from what I've seen thus far) put out a very young starting eleven in the first half, that included Jake Scott and Jacob Hazel and an all but full strength first team eleven after the break, with Hazel staying on to lead the line.

Sheffield football hooligans spotted at back of terracing

These are two managers who I have a great of amount of respect for, so you'll have to excuse me for omitting several pictures that I took and for not revealing the name(s) of anybody out on the lush green turf of the Northolme, who might have been playing as a trialist.
One such player in particular would prove to be a great signing for the team he turned out for and I am eagerly awaiting an official preess announcement any time soon.

Connor Higginson and Danny Buttle both made a telling contribution out wide on for the visitors, while Kieran Wells came very close to finding the net two or three times. Recently cropped of his trademark ginger shock of hair, Wellsy needs to get it grown back ASAP, because not everybody can carry off a grade one crop as stylishly as I do and a couple of his misses tonight made me wonder if the new haircut had a Samson type effect on the usually prolific striker. He's a biblical character Kieran! Not the ex Crystal Palce, Arsenal, Newcastle United and England full back.
Jon Froggatt also had a great opportunity to score, but cleared the crossbar from a tight angle when the ball sat up unkindly for him.

The Ambers were playing in all red tonight, which caused a delay to the kick off when Trinity's keeper came out wearing exactly the same colours as the visitors and he had to nip back off the pitch to get changed.

In my humble estimation, Handsworth were the better team in the first half, an opinion borne out of the fact that a few sporting Trinity fans stood nearby were singing their praises and were unfortunate not to take at least a two goal lead into the break.

But although they kept plucking away after the break, Roma's second half side had just that bit too much quality for the visitors, who play their trade three divisions below the level that they regularly play at. 

Trinity are assembling a very useful side, they're going to be worth watching this season.

Trinity, decked out in an all green ensemble, were ruthless with their finishing in the second half and in a nutshell, that was the difference between the two sides on the night.

The former Frickley Athletc front man Jacob Hazel opened the scoring on 53 minutes, when he rounded the Parramore keeper and rolled the ball into the goal from an angle.

The visitors pushed forward but when their attack broke down on the edge of a crowded Gainsborough area, Alex Wiles latched onto the ball and sprinted forward 60 yards before knocking a slide rule pass into the path of Gav Rothery, who couldn't and didn't miss from such a great position.

With ten minutes remaining, James Reid finished off the visitors resistance, with a sublime finish from a well executed free kick from around 25 yards out.

If you really want any more information about the whos, whats, whys and wherefores of this particular game, then you should have made the trip to the Martin & Co. Arena yourself; because I have some good friends at both of these clubs and I won't betray their trust by repeating anything that was discussed in confidence with me tonight.

Certain local clubs thrive on back stabbing, gossip and spreading lies, but neither of these two are guilty on any of those charges. 

And when you're treated with respect on your travel to games, then it is only right to reciprocate those good manners accordingly.

FT: Holy Blues (in green) 3 v Ambers (in red) 0

A decent run out at the start of a busy week for both teams.

See you all again soon.