FC United of Manchester 2 v Gainsborough Trinity 2 - NPL Prem

Saturday 2nd November 2019
Bet Victor Northern Premier League - Premier Division
at Broadhurst Park
FC United of Manchester (1) 2
Jordan Buckley 30, Tunde Owolabi 74
Gainsborough Trinity (2) 2
Gavin Allot 21, Ross Hannah 43
Attendance: 1,614
THE66POW mobile phone pictures: click HERE
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Mark Lee's FCUM match photos: click HERE
Samantha Coates' FCUM match photos: click HERE

A 2-2 draw, on the road, against their fifth placed hosts, was a very credible result for second to bottom Trinity, who arrived in Moston, on the back of a 0-4 win at Dunston in the FA Trophy on Tuesday night, in a game that marked the 'Holy Blues' new manager Curtis Woodhouse's first game in charge of the Lincolnshire club.

The visitors enjoyed the best of the first half today, and deservedly led 1-2 at the break, but they had to withstand a torrent of United pressure after the interval... and just about hung on for the draw in the end, after doggedly withstanding everything that Neil Reynolds side could muster to throw at them.

It's been a long time coming for me personally, but today finally marked my first ever visit to Broadhurst Park, which the 'Red Rebels' moved into in 2015.

However,  I had seen them play 'home' games at Gigg Lane (Bury FC), Moss Lane (Altrincham FC) and Bower Fold (Stalybridge Celtic), previously... while they've also used: Ewen Fields (Hyde United), Stainton Park (Radcliffe Borough) and the Tameside Stadium (Curzon Ashton), before they relocated to their own ground, a decade after their original formation.

If you were wondering why there are two different badges on the signage at the entrance to the club car park, because I know what an inquisitive and nosy lot you all are: Moston Juniors FC also play here.

The home side knocked the ball about well during the opening exchanges, without ever looking too threatening, but Trinity soon got into their stride, using the whole width of the pitch well, while Gav Allott, fresh from scoring a hat trick on Tuesday night, was doing what he does best, in his own inimitable style... i.e. making a damned nuisance of himself and letting his presence be known/felt.
But it was Simon Russell who almost put the visitors ahead, when he spotted that Cameron Belford had strayed off of his line, and lofted an audacious long, dipping lob towards United's goal, that bounced away to safety, off the top of the crossbar.

But in the twenty first minute, Gainsborough's attacking approach, reaped rewards, when James Kingsley pushed up on the right flank and delivered an angled ball into the path of the visitors captain Allott, who took a great first touch and steered the ball around the advancing figure of Belford, before calmly rolling the ball into an unguarded net.

Allott went close again, when Kingsley instigated another attack, feeding the ball out wide to Curtis Morrison, whose right wing cross skimmed off of the Trinity striker's head and wide of the target.

The opening goal, acted as an alarm call to the home side and within ten minutes, they were back on level terms, when Alex Curran's free kick, glanced off of Trinity's defensive wall and fell kindly for Jordan Buckley, giving him the easiest of chances to knock the ball past his former United teammate Lloyd Allinson, who was making his first team debut for the visitors today.
Allinson put in a decent shift all told, even though it did look as though he was still getting used to his new defensive colleagues at times, as regards communicating with them, but he seemed to be a fast learner to that end.

Allinson (a dual registration player) is among a number of new signings that 'the Driffield Destroyer' (to give the new Trinity manager his boxing nickname), has recruited in the short space of time, that he has been at the Northolme; who include: Billy Chadwick (on loan from Hull City), Mitch Dunne and Michael Williams (both from Sheffield FC) and defender Will Thornton, another dual registered conscript, who has been enlisted to beef up the 'Holt Blues' defence, which was a role that he evidently revelled in today, especially during the second half.

Four of those 'newbies' made the starting line up at Broadhurst Park, although sadly, Dunne limped out of the game after taking a knock in the fortieth minute, but as he hobbled round towards the bench, with a little help from his manager, when his relacement: Ross Hannah pounced on a momentary lapse by Belford and steeered the ball into the goal from close range, after only having been on the pitch for less than half a minute.
HT: FCUM 1 v Trinity 2

You can always rely on FCUM to provide some decent tunes during the interval... and today was no exception to that end, but their efforts were nowhere near as amusing (for some people) as the pre-match entertainment provided in the car park, when a big clumsy lump lost his footing while getting off of the Gainsborough Trinity Supporters' Club coach, before sliding down a muddy embankment on his bum, and coming to an very undignified and painful halt.
I would have laughed at this (very) sticky predicament too, if I wasn't actually yours truly who was covered in mud and bruises, as a consequence of my part in this messy escapade.
I do my best to provide you all with these slapstick comedy moments, but I'm on the lookout for a stunt double for future performances.

The second half had a bit of an Alamo feel to it, as the home side swamped forward with wave upon wave of attacks... Trinity's foundations were creaking, as they sat deep and repelled their opponents while taking a right old battering.
A United goal was inevitable, but even so, when it eventually arrived, it needed something a bit special to final find a way through the visitors rearguard... and I guess it helps when your number nine just happens to be the league's top goalscorer; because it was he: Tunde Owolabi, who battle his way along the bi-line, towards Allinson's goal, before crashing an unstoppable shot into the net, just inside the far post. Suffice to say: you don't stop those!

While Allott plundered the United defence with a couple of counter attacks towards the end of the game and forced two corners into the bargain, right at the death, Allinson pulled off a great save to thwart the United captain Mike Potts.

This was a hard fought, but well deserved point for Gainsborough, on the strength of their attacking prowess in the first half and defensive toughness in the second.

FT: FC United of Manchester 2 v Gainsborough Trinity 2

After the game, two United fans mistook the Trinity supporters coach, for one of the shuttle buses that runs to and from Broadhurst Park... fortunately for them, somebody pointed out the error of their ways pretty quickly... and they dashed off before the driver headed towards the M62 and Lincolnshire.

Next Saturday, these two sides will be in FA Trophy Second Qualifying Round action, with Basford United heading to Moston, while Trinity are on their travels again, with a trip to Tamworth.
Good luck these respective teams next Saturday, I met some smashing people connected to both clubs today.

I wouldn't imagine that anybody is expecting Gainsborough Trinity to win any actual silverware this season; not unless they've entered a Christmas raffle that has got a set of posh cutlery as one of it's prizes... but if they show the same kind of effort, application and fortitude that they did today on a regular basis, they'll be climbing the table towards safety any time soon, as a direct result of appointing Curtis Woodhouse, into the position of first team manager... a shrewd bit of business indeed, I reckon.