Gainsborough Trinity 4 v Radcliffe 1 - NPL Premier Division

Tuesday 3rd March 2020
BetVictor Northern Premier League, Premier Division
at the Martin & Co. Arena, Northolme
Gainsborough Trinity (1) 4
Jordan Adebayo-Smith 26,
Greg Smith 68 Pen, 76,
Simon Russell 81
Radcliffe FC (0) 1
Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro 72
Attendance: 272

Both teams went into tonight's game off of the back of defeats at the weekend, with Trinity losing 1-4 at the Northolme to league leaders and champions elect South Shields (although Basford United and FC United of Manchester might have something to say about that), while Radcliffe were beaten 3-1 at play-off hopefuls Scarborough Athletic, in what was new manager; Lee Fowler's first game in charge of the 'Boro'.
To avoid being called out by any nit-picking pedantic types out there, tonight's visitors were called Radcliffe Borough until two years ago, when they shortened their name by removing the Borough suffix, but kept the 'Boro' nickname.
It's on their club crest and everything, so there!

I had anticipated and expected a slightly larger crowd tonight than the 272 that turned out, which was 440 down on Saturday's gate, but the hardcore who did make the effort were vocal in their support, which was indicative of the generally upbeat and positive vibe that emanates from the local football community at the present time. A season of impending relegation woes was salvaged when Curtis Woodhouse was appointed as manager at the Northolme (with Martin Foster following him as his assistant) and subsequently, the 'Holy Blues' have climbed steadily up the table ever since.

Thirteenth in the Northern Premier League, which is where Trinity finished the night as a consequence of this win, might sound like some kind of unfulfilling mid-table mediocrity to the outside world, but scaling such heights was seemingly some kind of pipe dream to most Gainsborough supporters, just a couple of months into the current campaign. Rome wasn't built in a day... but the club is certainly making progress. There will of course be disappointments and set-backs along the way, but more good than bad is currently unfolding at the Northolme, with the many positives far outweighing any apparent negatives, both on and off the pitch.

The last time these two teams met in January, Gainsborough won 0-2 with Gregg Smith scoring both goals. 'Boro' would no doubt be fed up of the sight of the prolific striker by the end of tonight then.

The first half set off at a no place for the faint hearted frenetic pace, with both sides on each others toes, having a real scrap for dominance of the midfield.

The first chance of the night fell to Smith, but Ollie Martin thwarted the big lad with. Both keepers were in action early on and it was George Willis who featured next, keeping out Callum Grogan's header.

Trinity were starting to find gaps in the visitors rearguard, but Martin was keeping them at bay... until he was left woefully exposed by his own defender, Richard Smith, whose header dropped kindly for Jordan Adebayo-Smith who wasted no time in firing the hosts in front in the twenty sixth minute.
Kingsley James, a workhorse if ever there was one, for the Gainsborough cause, almost doubled the lead before half time, but yet again, Martin was well placed to thwart him.

The vastly experienced former Republic of Ireland international, Stephen Dawson, was conducting operations for Radcliffe in the middle of the park and almost put the visitors on level terms early in the second half, but Willis denied him. I had a short-list for man of the match tonight: Trinity's powerhouse striker Smith, the live-wire Adebayo-Smith and Willis himself, whose contribution to tonight's win shouldn't be overlooked, despite the final margin of victory.

The 'Holy Blues' were two ahead, when Adebayo-Smith surged forward through the left channel and homed in on the visitors goal along the dead ball line, before being toppled by Martin as he dived in bravely at the on-loan (from Lincoln City) attackers feet.

Gregg Smith firmly planted the resulting penalty inside the right hand post and Trinity were on their way to a hard won victory, as Martin shot a spectator behind the goal a look that could melt an iceberg, as he shouted out: "You're allowed to dive and use your hands goalie!". It was, of course, tongue in cheek, because both keepers earned their wages plus an overtime rate tonight.

Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro, a recent signing from Oldham Athletic, netted on his debut for 'Boro' as a more open game of football suddenly broke out in the seventy second minute, taking advantage of sliced clearance that fell his way... they all count.

But Trinity's two goal cushion was restored less than five minutes later, when a well worked right wing corner routine, saw the ball find it's way through to Smith who lashed the ball past Martin to claim his tenth league goal for the home side in just his twelve appearance.

 

With a little under ten minutes remaining, the hosts put the game beyond Radcliffe's reach, when Adebayo-Smith picked up the ball near the penalty spot and rolled it into the path of Simon Russell, who was arriving into the D on the edge of area right on cue, and crashed a shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Although the visitors were beaten, had it not been for Willis, there could still have been a twist in this tale, as the Trinity keeper fielded a well struck effort from Rhian Hellawell, before pulling off an agile double-save from both Akpa Akpro and Danny Mitchley right at the death.

FT: Gainsborough Trinity 4 v Radcliffe 1

Radcliffe probably deserved more for their efforts than being on the receiving end of such a deficit, but there can be no denying the tenacity and willingness of the Trinity players to chase down every ball and make a fist of their remaining games this season. They're still a work in progress, but there are definitely signs that they're heading in the right direction, which, with one eye on next season already (although there is obviously still plenty of this current campaign left), bodes well for the future.

One final note: can somebody get Trinity's recruitment guy Darren Giovannetti a club coat to wear? Because he looks like a proper poser swanning around in that Manchester City coat.