Gainsborough Trinity 3 v Lincoln City 3 - PSF

Tuesday 19th July 2016
Pre-Season Friendly
at the Martin & Co. Arena, Northolme
Gainsborough Trinity (3) 3
Jacob Hazel 10, Liam Davis 22, 27
Lincoln City (2) 3 Johnny Margetts 5, 8, Matt Rhead 57
Amission £8. Programme £.2.50 - covering four home PSF games

If teams produce end to end action like we witnessed tonight on the Northolme, games like this are in serious danger of getting friendly matches a good name.
Resplendent in their pre-season kit, which is being sold to raise funds for 'Pancreatic Cancer UK', Trinity allowed their visitors to race into a two goal lead early on, but turned things around to such a degree that when Matt Rhead netted the Imps third goal, it was in the form of a well taken equalising strike, to pull his side level at three apiece.

Ironically it was a former Trinity loan signing, Johnny Margetts who set the ball rolling for the Imps with both early goals, his first with a neatly executed lob from just outside the goal area and three minutes later, straight after the Imps keeper Richard Walton had denied an immediate equaliser for the 'Holy Blues', Margetts netted again, when his shot came back off Johnathon Hedge and he drilled the ball into the back of the net from the rebound.

Having inadvertently grabbed an assist for a goal at one end, Hedge claimed on at the other, when his long pass forward picked out Jacob Hazel, who took the ball down well and headed straight for goal, before placing the ball past Watson on ten minutes.
Wow! If the goal scoring carried on at this rate, those lovable Retford Imps (see bottom picture), would need all of their six toes on both feet to keep count.
Hazel had another attempt from wide right, but his shot was blocked, however the loose ball fell to Liam Davis. who cracked in a great strike from just outside the box, to level things up after twenty two minutes and silence the: "Your so shit it's unbelievable!" chants, emanating from a clutch of young Imps fans congregated behind the goal that Lincoln were attacking.

Five minutes later, Davis struck again, pouncing to take advantage of some woeful defending from the visitors and the turnaround was complete, as Trinity soared from two goals behind to three-two up inside the space of just nineteen minutes.
City finished the first half pushing forward in pursuit of a third goal of their own, but Johnathon Hedge stood up well to their efforts and laughed at Matt Rhead as he tried to intimidate him, by blocking his path at set pieces, as the home side held on to their half time lead.
HT: Gainsborough Trinity 3 v Lincoln City 2

Tonight's game was originally billed as a Lincolnshire Senior Cup tie, but Gainsborough lost at Lincoln United and were eliminated from the competition, so tonight's encounter still went ahead, but as a friendly.
Jake Scott, playing out of position at right back, did very well for Trinity tonight. they've made some very astute signings and will be looking to improve on last year's final league position.
With local bragging rights at stake, City looked to get back into the game with a strong start to the second half, with Hedge being kept on his toes as Trinity threatened to buckle.

That man Margetts was involved again. when he headed a corner down into the path of Matt Rhead, who crashed an unstoppable volley through the crowded goalmouth and into the bottom corner of the net.

Despite the heat and humidity, the tempo of the game was barely letting up, but no further goals were forthcoming, despite Hazel finishing well from a great through ball from Matt Thornhill that must've been a very close call.

Of course this being a practice game, the rhythm was disrupted somewhat late on as a lengthy queue of substitutes entered the fray at sporadic intervals, but you couldn't blame anyone for wanting a breather and a sit down with a cold drink on such a muggy night.

FT: Gainsborough Trinity 3 v Lincoln City 3

Retford Imps Rouges Galley. Banjo out of shot.