Manager, Russ Wilcox made one change to his starting eleven. Frank Mulhern starting in place of Javelle Clarke, whilst Sisa Tuntulwana again had to settle for a spot on the bench. Loan duo, Jakub Kryzsenski & Archie Howard having returned to their parent clubs, Mansfield Town & Hull City, were absent from the sixteen.

Best laid plans and all that, as Jonny Margetts was injured in his first action of the afternoon. A ball played into Trinity’s top scorer saw Jonny try to hook the ball goalwards, but he caught the undersole of Sam Whittall, leaving the experienced striker in some discomfort, with a nasty gash just above the ankle. He was subsequently forced off, to be replaced by Tuntulwana, with the game still in its’ infancy.

Both teams traded half chances, as Frank Mulhern headed on target for Trinity, but his effort lacked the power to trouble the visiting ‘keeper, before David Robson was down smartly to his right to deny Sam Unitt.

A stop start opening ten minutes, also saw the visitors forced into an early change, when Unitt was also unable to continue. In his place came Bradley Burton. On the quarter hour, Trinity produced a good spell of possession, working the ball from side to side, but Robson had to be alert when Rushall went a bit more direct. Skipper Bobby Johnson was looking to dictate the play from a deep lying central midfield position. One raking forward ball was helped on by Mulhern. Releasing Tuntulwana down the right hand side. His inviting ball across the face of goal was crying out for an onrushing blue shirt.

Again, Tuntulwana was involved. This time a clever leave for Lewis Butroid seemed the right decision, but the ball just wouldn’t sit for Butty to pull the trigger. He was able to feed the ball out to the right for the advancing run of Simpson, but again, the ball into a good area – didn’t find a Gainsborough man.

Robson did well to claim from a Rushall free kick before Lancaster picked out Mulhern with the ball over the top. A neat ball inside found Fraser Preston to flash another telling ball across the face of goal. Jordaan Brown did well to get on the end of the resulting Trinity set piece, but the decision didn’t go Gainsborough’s way. Tuntulwana popped up on the right, and looking to get the early ball into the box, found his path blocked. Waiting for the supporting Simpson, Sisa offloaded for the right back who stood a great ball up to the back post, where it was met with an acrobatic bicycle kick by Mulhern. It certainly would have been a spectacular opener, but Manton-Davies was equal to the effort.

Robson had to be alert to deny Sidibe, before substitute Burton dragged wide from range. Preston then got on the end of some more good work from Tuntulwana, but again the finish was lacking from Wilcox’s men. As the board for five additional minutes of stoppage time went up, Kian Ryley let fly with a speculative effort from fully twenty-five yards, that flew past David Robson. Giving the former Hull City goalkeeper no chance.

That wouldn’t be the last of the action though, as it turned about a crazy sequence events, that ultimately didn’t lead to an equaliser. Manton-Davies’ goal leading a charmed life. Bobby Johnson’s header from a Lewis Butroid freekick, was somehow blocked on the line, before Harrison Beeden provided a sublime piece of skill, finding Tuntulwana who saw his attempt hammered away.

From the resulting corner, Helliwell couldn’t connect and Rushall scrambled clear, to go in at the break with the one goal advantage.

Half Time: Gainsborough Trinity 0 Rushall Olympic 1

The Blues came out refocussed in the second half. Stunned by conceding in stoppage time at the end of the first half. And when Jordan Helliwell did well to win Trinity an attacking throw in, deep in Rushall territory, Tuntulwana lined up a trademark throw in, that found itself all the way to the back post, when Beeden found himself unmarked. Sending an effort crashing off the upright, but falling kindly for the visitors, with no Gainsborough man in the vicinity.

Shortly after, Preston sprung the Rushall backline with a clever dinked ball that sent Butroid racing clear. Manton-Davies narrowed the angle and diverted Lewis’ placed finish behind for a corner kick. Trinity continued to press for an equaliser. Eventually finding a way through, when Butroid’s in swinging corner was glanced home at the near post by Will Lancaster. His first of the season, pulling the Holy Blues back on terms.

Less than three minutes later, Preston made the clever movement in behind, bringing down Ashley Jackson’s weighted ball, but again Manton-Davies stood up well. Wilcox’s men were creating openings at will. Mulhern powered into the Rushall box, cleverly releasing Tuntulwana with a neat flick inside. As the youngster looked to pull the trigger – Manton-Davies was bravely out at the forward’s feet.

Mulhern glanced another Butroid corner goal wards, but again the ‘keeper was able to divert the ball away from danger, as Trinity now searched for a winner.

Ten minutes from time, Mulhern turned away from his man, and looked to work the ‘keeper. Manton-Davies holding on at the second attempt, after initially fumbling the effort. The visitors continued to defend doggedly for the final ten minutes, and six added minutes, as they held on for the point they came with.

A point the Holy Blues will feel is the least they deserved from a dominant showing. A point that moved the Blues up a place, into sixth. But one point, and one goal from the chances Trinity created wasn’t enough for Russ Wilcox, who felt his side needs to be more ruthless in front of goal.

There’s an opportunity for that coming up quickly, as the Holy Blues head to Lancashire on Tuesday night, ready to take on Bamber Bridge in Matchday Fourteen of the Pitching In Northern Premier League.

The Teams

Gainsborough Trinity: David Robson, Aaron Simpson, Ashley Jackson, Bobby Johnson, Will Lancaster, Harrison Beeden, Lewis Butroid, Jordan Helliwell, Jonny Margetts (Sisa Tuntulwana 2’) Frank Mulhern, Fraser Preston (Javelle Clarke 71)
Subs not used: Jacob McLoughlin, Adam Crookes & George Hornshaw
Gainsborough goal: Will Lancaster 67’

Rushall Olympic: Jake Manton-Davies, Roddy McGlinchey (Osaze Okuonghae 85’) Carter Lycett, Jamie Willets, Jordaan Brown, Sam Whittall, Jack Burgess, Alex Moore, Toumani Sidibe (Aurio Neto-Teixeira 68’) Sam Unitt (Bradley Burton 9’) Kian Ryley
Subs not used: Nicholas Clayton-Phillips & Daniel Jarvis

Report by Rob Hughes (@AATM_Media)
Images by Tommy Cox