New signings, Javelle Clarke and Jack Moore-Billam started the game, alongside Club Captain Dylan Cogill and longest serving player George Hornshaw, whilst the remaining six outfield players were from the famed Trialist family, that only ever seem to feature during pre-season games up and down the country. The experimental Tangerine-Blues found themselves one down inside seven minutes, when a quick break down the Winterton right picked out Varley who took his time and picked his spot, finishing with aplomb.
Plunging low down to his right, the Trialist 'keeper, kept the score at 1-0, but not for long, when a breakdown in communication saw the home side double their lead. In no man's land, the goalkeeper was beaten by a misdirected defensive header that looped over him, and into the back of the net. An avoidable goal to concede, but while players with little playing time together become more accustomed to each other, lines of communication will strengthen, and such errors will hopefully become less common.
Again called into
action, only to concede again only moments later when Baskerville lobbed the advancing custodian, Clarke showed some nice touches and a determination to win the ball back if Trinity lost possession. Half time: Winterton Rangers 3 Gainsborough Trinity 0
Changes en-mass occurred at the break, as there were first outings for new recruits, Lewis Butroid, Bobby Johnson, McCauley Snelgrove, Harry Lovick and Dayle Southwell as they got an important first 45 minutes of playing time into their legs. Trinity saw more of the ball than in the first half, with the more recognisable Trinity players taking to the field. Youngster, Ethan Cowan featuring for twenty minutes or so between the sticks, at the end of the game.
The forward press being led by the experienced Southwell helped Gainsborough get more of a foothold in the game. And Winterton were forced to defend in numbers, which they did, getting bodies back on the line, making good blocks to prevent the visitors from reducing the deficit.
Dayle Southwell got his first for the Holy Blues when he stepped up to calmly despatch a hotly disputed penalty award. Given just a moment after a Dr Jeykl and Mr Hyde moment from the Winterton 'keeper. Crashing a clearance off the en-rushing Trinity trialist, the ball rebounded at pace towards the unguarded goal. Quick to recover, he got back to his goal line to somehow scoop the ball away, only for the referee to point to the spot as HL appeared to be sent tumbling.
Southwell was denied a second when his close range effort was blocked on the line. Perhaps it wasn't to be for the tangerines on this occasion, but as Bish said in his post-match interview, results at this stage in pre-season are irrelevant; we've used a lot of players, and got minutes into the legs of our signed players. We won't want to carry a squad of this size into the season, so, so we'll be actively looking to reduce that number over the next couple of sessions.
Next Up
The Holy Blues are next in action when we welcome a Manchester United XI to the Northolme on Saturday 15th July, 3pm kick off. Online tickets continue to sell well, so please visit our ticketing portal to make your purchases and turn out in your numbers to see the future stars, and Manchester United.