Gainsborough Trinity 2 v Leamington 0 - FA Cup 3QR Replay

Tuesday 3rd October 2017

FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round Replay

at the Martin & Co. Arena/Northolme

Gainsborough Trinity (0) 2

Nathan Jarman 85

Brad Wells 90 +4

Leamington FC (0) 0

Admission £12. Programme £2.
Attendance 370

Gainsborough Trinity:
Henrich Ravas, Josh Lacey, Matt Taylor, Ioan Evans, Nathan Stainfield, Michael Jacklin, Jonathan Wafula, Shane Clarke, Nathan Jarman (C) (15 Alex Simmons, 89), Ashley Worsfold (12 Bradley Wells, 30), Craig King (14 Tom Davie, 90).
Unused subs - GK Richard Walton, 16 Taron Hare.
Leamington:
Tony Breeden (C), James Mace, Connor Gudger, Joe Clarke, Jamie Hood, Junior English, Kieran Dunbar, Joe Magunda (12 Callum Gittings, 74), Stefan Moore (14 Kurtis Revan, 88), Jack Edwards, Rob Thompson-Brown (17 Ahmed Obeng, 71).
Unused subs - 15 Richard Taundry, 16 Liam Canavan,.

After 175 minutes of goalless football between them, including Saturday's first game at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium in Leamington Spa on Saturday, these two sides still couldn't be separated. But then up stepped Brad Wells, deliberating over his options, angles, wind direction and distance, as the Brakes conceded a free kick in the D on the edge of their box.
Wells presence obviously scared the crap out of Nathan Jarman, who realised that he was going to have to act fast to stop the Trinity substitute from wasting a great chance to grab the lead at a most opportune time, so without any further delay, the Holy Blues captain buried a dipping shot, over the wall and into the top corner of the net, out of the reach of Tony Breedon, who'd thus far put in a solid captain's performance between the sticks for the visitors.

The Trinity crowd, who'd really got behind their side vocally tonight, even though they were out-sung for most of the night, by the thirty or so Leamington fans who had congregated behind the goal their team were attacking during each half, erupted... and began to dream of an away day trip to Harrogate Town next Saturday. And while Jarman celebrated his sublime strike, the home owners on Handel Court rejoiced that Wells had been denied the opportunity to bring down the satellite dishes from the front of their homesteads.
Some of those cul de sac properties overlook the Northolme ground, but for an extra £25,000 outlay when you buy one, you can have the windows bricked up instead... and there have been times recently, when that would've been a sound investment.

And the jubilation of the fans on the Carlisle Street  terrace knew no bounds when Leamington had to pile forward in numbers on a salvage mission and Trinity took full advantage by grabbing a second goal deep into stoppage time; when Wells went for a 50/50 header out to the right on the halfway line with Callum Gittings, from which the ball fell to Alex Simmons and he cushioned it back towards Jonathan Wafula who had spotted Tom Davie's run, out on the left and switched flanks with an intuitive knock into the Trinity number fourteen's path, while Wells burst forward in support. Davie drew Breeden from his line and though the keeper got a slight touch, still managed to get a cross in that bounced between Wells and Junior English and the Gainsborough striker made the result safe with a well placed knock, before running the clock down by charging half the length of the pitch to celebrate with a group of young Trinity supporters. It was too late for the visitors to mount a comeback now anyway.

Before the game, the word on the street, was that Dave Frecklington's name was hanging precariously on the manager's door and one good slam, in the shape of a FA Cup exit tonight, might see it fall off altogether.

Well, that might only have been a rumour, but the level of support for the Trinity boss, among his staff, players and the supporters in the aftermath of this hard won victory was clear for all to see.

It had been a backs to the wall performance, from which the hosts defence and in particular their on loan goalkeeper Henrich Ravas, had emerged with honours, but it was clear to see that they had dug in and put it on the line for their gaffer tonight.

The league table doesn't lie and just two wins from their opening twelve games is nothing short of a disaster, but the chutes of recovery were evident tonight as Frecklington's side demonstrated that they had the fire in their belly for the impending scrap that the bread and butter business of the league campaign is going to require. Leamington have three more points from their opening dozen games and sit a point behind Boston United and one above FC United of Manchester, which demonstrates what a tough league this one is this season. 

I hope it all comes good for 'Frecks' and his team... and though the opinion of this humble scribe won't ever hold any sway, he gets my vote, to be the man who can turn things around for the Northolme club.

Tonight, Leamington will justifiably feel that they were unlucky to be going home empty handed and that they were the victims of a late smash and grab raid after forcing the home side to absorb most of the pressure over the course of the entire game.

Shall we just say... by rule of thumb, it is very rare for the goalkeeper of a dominant side to be awarded as man of the match, unless he has been joining in with the attack, holding midfield and winning all of the defensive headers as well as showing good handling skills.

Kieran Dunbar was a the stand out player and engine room for the Brakes, from our vantage point and had he not allowed his focus to slip and get sidetracked with his constant stream of verbals at the linesman, he would no doubt have made an even greater impact on the game. 

Dunbar is a talented lad and no mistake, it was just a shame that he didn't concentrate on letting his ball skills do all of his talking instead

Joe Clarke went close for the visitors after a measured knock from Dunbar had freed Rob Thompson Brown on the left flank, who cut in before delivering a great pass to Clarke.

Joe Magunda served the ball on a plate for Thompson Brown, who forced a great save from Ravas.

Dunbar picked out Clarke with an angled through ball,but he shot against the right hand upright and the ball went behind fr a goal kick.

That man Dunbar went it alone with a free kick that dipped just beneath the crossbar in the the top left hand corner, but Ravas had it covered and claimed the ball at full stretch.

And Ravas was called into action again when Dunbar picked out Jack Edwards with a free kick from thirty yards, but the Derby County loanee made light work of making yet another save.

Edwards tried to catch Ravas out with a long range strike right on half time, but it didn't have enough power to worry the Trinity keeper unduly.

HT: Holy Blues 0 v Brakes 0

Stefan Moore lobbed Ravas right at the start of the second half, but he scurried back and made a reflex save that had 'they shalt not pass' written all over it.
The linesman's flag came to the rescue twice for the home side as Leamington had two strikes ruled out in quick succession.
Ravas denied Edwards again, while Clarke shot narrowly wide of the right hand upright, but the thick blue line of Trinity was holding out, just about.
For the record, I mean thick at this juncture as in densely populated, not thickas in terminally stupid; that thick blue line was standing elsewhere (cough).
Wells shot narrowly wide, much to the delight of his 'fan club' who seemingly get off on standing behind the goal criticising his every move and Ioan Evans went close to scoring from Craig King's corner.

Breeden was forced into action as he thwarted King with a pint blank stop and moments later English put his body in the way of another King effort.
Jarman hit a shot on the turn, right on the edge of Leamington's area, but he didn't strike the ball true enough to trouble Breedon.
and as the game entered it's final five minutes (plus stoppage time), might I invite you back to the opening paragraphs of this blog article, that describe in minute detail how Leamington came to rue not getting hold of this game by the lapels and headbutting it full on in the face, when they were in the ascendancy and relive how Nathan Jarman and Brad Wells carried out a daring hoist to nick the prize of a trip to Harrogate Town in the next round of the FA Cup right at the death.
FT: Gainsborough Trinity 2 v Leamington 0

Outside the ground, one of Brad Wells barracking crew was parked near me, when he'd netted the second goal, he'd turned to me and shouted "the useless prat nearly missed!" and I'd laughed out loud at his sheer stupidity.

After a few awkward moments of silence, I commented: "Good goal by young Wellsy tonight wasn't it!?", he scowled and replied; "He was lucky, he wouldn't have scored if it was a header because he's shit in the air!"

Oh well, you can't educate some people, but might I suggest that now Wells is off the mark, those who won't get off his back whatever he dos,will have to look for a new victim as he stuffs their words back down their silly throats.

Those who celebrated with the player know his worth to the club, those who didn't are in the wrong place, because they don't understand the game of football at all.

Note* the tongue in cheek digs at Brad Wells at the top of this post, are placed there in jest, I know him, I rate him and our entourage watched the game with his dad.