Gainsborough Trinity 1 - 0 Lancaster City
An explosive second half display lit up Gainsborough this afternoon, with a huge win and clean sheet at The Northolme. A single goal from the inform Declan Howe was the difference today.
An unchanged 11 for The Holy Blues proved to be the right choice made by Russ Wilcox today as their unbeaten run of 5 games in the league continues. Gainsborough started the day in 16th with Lancaster sitting just 4 places above them in 12th.
A damp start to the game on and off the pitch at the KAL Group Stadium meant that the score would be level at half time with no goals for either side and a lack of entertainment.
The first shot on target came in the 19th minute as Bobby Johnson fizzed a twenty yarder which skidded across the slick surface and into the grasp of Andre Mendes. The next came 16 minutes later when Declan Howe was played a well-weighted ball which led him being 1-on-1 with Mendes, but Howe was not the winner on this occasion.
Lancaster piled the pressure on the home side multiple times throughout the first period, however, there wasn’t enough to put the away side ahead before the end of the half.
The game exploded into life in the second half. The home side settled in the quickest, Declan Howe had a shot saved and then just a few minutes later, after a brilliant bit of build up play from Javelle Clarke, Howe was brought down in the box and a penalty was awarded.
Southwell firmly nominated himself as the taker but his effort was not meant to be as it was brilliantly saved by Andre Mendes. However, the goalkeepers joy was only momentarily, Javelle Clarke picked up ball from the saved shot and crossed it to just outside the box, then Howe produced a thunderbolt of a shot gracing the top right corner which makes it 6 goals in 5 games for the 25 year old striker.
Trinity’s sparked into life, creating multiple chances and putting pressure on the away side, but they could not add to their tally.
Hamish Douglas looked imperious at the back as he was forced to adapt to the loss of his skipper, Dylan Cogil to injury, Douglas putting in a strong showing at the heart of the Gainsborough defence as he stood up to everything the Dolly Blues could throw at the hosts. Even the addition of Andrew Teague as an auxiliary centre forward.
Despite the slow moving first half, it was another eye catching display from Wilcox’s Trinity, they extend their unbeaten run and move 4 places up the table. Only 4 points off of the play off places, Gainsborough will be aiming to go as high as they possibly can, however, Russ Wilcox encourages his team to “keep feet on the ground” as their is still “a long way to go”. The dream isn’t impossible.
The Holy Blues travel to top of the table, Radcliffe, who suffered a 4-0 defeat today. A tough place to go but the lads would be looking to rub salt into the fresh wounds of Radcliffe and continue the unbeaten run even further.
Today’s attendance was 502.
MOTM- Declan Howe
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