EvoStik Northern Premier League - Premier Division
at the Martin & Co.Arena/Northolme
Gainsborough Trinity (3) 3
Alex Byrne12
Ash Worsfold 24, 43
Basford United (0) 2
Matt Thornhill 51
Nat Watson 80
Admission £12. Programme £2.50
Attendance 378
In fact, the 'Holy Blues' have games in hand over all seven of the teams above them, as they maintained a 100% home winning run of five games out of five, a record that is matched by only one club in the whole division, namely: fourth placed South Shields.
And his side certainly came very close to leaving Lincolnshire with a draw under their belts, despite going in at the break three goals behind.
Although Gainsborough still had to find the wherewithal and acumen to convert the chances that came their way, and credit where it is due to the home side to that end,
the visitors were more than a little culpable of contributing to their own downfall in front of Kieran Preston's goal, as they displayed traits of defensive negligence and ineptitude that was the exact polar opposite of the way that they were performing elsewhere on the pitch.
Basford really should have dealt with Simmons cross from the right in the twelfth minute: but as Preston shook his hands at the ball, in a manner befitting Al Jolson acknowledging his 'Mammy', allowing the ball to reach the head of Joe Maguire, who flicked it across the six yard box, where Alex Byrne added the finishing touch.
Basford really should have dealt with Simmons cross from the right in the twelfth minute: but as Preston shook his hands at the ball, in a manner befitting Al Jolson acknowledging his 'Mammy', allowing the ball to reach the head of Joe Maguire, who flicked it across the six yard box, where Alex Byrne added the finishing touch.
The visitors were nearly on equal terms almost immediately, when Nat Watson drilled a shot on the turn narrowly past the upright from twelve yards out.
But although Basford were enjoying a lot of the ball and shifting it around at pace in an eye-catching fashion, on the lush carpet of a Northolme pitch, any kind of end result was evading them, with Nathan Stainfield in particular keeping them at bay... and they fell two goals behind, when Ash Worfold diverted a left wing delivery from Alex Simmons past Preston, from the edge of the six yard box, while the United defence all appeared to collectively abdicate responsibility for clearing the ball (and picking up the runs of Worsfold and Byrne) to each other.
With half time approaching, a teasing cross from Jack Thomas only needed a touch to give the visitors a lifeline to take into the second half, but it wasn't to be and instead of cemeenting the foundations for a comeback, Basford shot themselves in the foot at the other end, when a routine back-pass was criminally under-hit, allowing Worsfold to nip in and plant the ball past Preston.
If his own teammates can provide Worsfold with that kind of ammunition on a regular basis, he'll top the goal-scoring charts in this league by a mile.
HT: Trinity 3 v Basford 0
Inevitably, Basford were going to come out in the second half fighting to restore some pride... and six minutes after the restart, they pulled a goal back, when Matt Thornhill, one of several former Trinity players gracing the visitors line up tonight, found the net, just moments after Jon Stewart had pulled off a great save at full stretch.
Carruther's side were taking the game to their hosts, who were putting up a frantic rearguard action.
But as the visitors started to commit their resources into chasing the game, Gainsborough pushed forward trying to put the result out of reach... and Preston did well to save Joe McGuire's downward header from Byrne's right wing delivery, Liam King's dipping shot from just outside the area, narrowly cleared the bar and Stainfield headed wide from Simmons cross.
Finally, with ten minutes remaining, it really was 'game on' as Watson topped off a great night's work, with a well directed strike as the ball pinged around the 'Holy Blues' area.
But much as the visitors slogged on, looking for a third goal, with the clock ticking down, it was actually Trinity who almost scored again, when Preston pulled off a 'worldly' of a double save, denying Simmons and King in quick succession, before Simmons crashed the ball over the bar from ten yards out.
FT: Gainsborough Trinity 3 v Basford United 2
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| A local landmark in need of some TLC |
Several people were heard, over the course of the night, to remark on the fact that £12 is a lot of money to watch EvoStik League football... and I was one of them. But even though it probably was a bit on the expensive side, as regards entertainment, people got more than their money's worth tonight.
In conclusion: that was a cracking game of football... and both teams more than played their part.
