Russ Wilcox challenged his side to dig deep & deeper still fifteen minutes before kick off. Five players from a seventeen man squad ruled out, the latest of the five when Frank Mulhern pulled up in the warm up, to be replaced by the ever ready Sisa Tuntulwana. Jacob McLoughlin started alongside youngster Charlie Parks at the back, whilst Theo Williams was handed a first start on the right, with George Hornshaw anchoring the midfield.

Javelle Clarke was the only senior player left on the bench as loanees, Charlie Carter and Ethan Hodgetts from Mansfield & Doncaster Rovers, were drafted into the sixteen.

Both sides showed promise down their respective right hand sides in the opening ten. First, two former Blues combined for Cleethorpes. Nicky Walker releasing Bailey Conway. Conway's cut back was diverted goalwards by a combination of Walker & Parks, but David Robson reacted well at his near post, making an instinctive block، to keep the score level.

Williams, on his first start, was looking lively. He forced Callum Foster into urgent action with Jonny Margetts closing in, on the dangerous ball across the six yard box. Midway through the first half, Lewis Butroid, wearing the armband in the absence of Bobby Johnson, floated a dangerous ball into the near post, but Margetts was back on his heels, when any touch ahead of the 'keeper would have seen the visitors in trouble.

The lively Williams twisted and turned, before finding Tuntulwana. Instinctively, Sisa let fly. Hus effort thumping off the advertising boards, a couple of yards wide of Battersby's goal.

On 32, Brad Abbott appeared to injure himself in a challenge on Tuntulwana. The visiting skipçer going in strongly, from behind. Escaping without a caution, his game was up, as he left the field on a stretcher. A delay in the game that contributed to a big chunk of the ten additional minutes at the end of the first half.

James Blunden headed over from six yards, as the visitors failed to punish a lapse in concentration, before the same man was involved in an incident that incensed the visiting bench, that seemed much ado about nothing.

Deep into first half stoppage time, Robson had to be alert again. Plunging low to his left, he got down well and held on tightly, to deny the Owls a first half lead.

Half Time: Gainsborough Trinity 0 Cleethorpes Town 0

The Blues came out battling. And Fraser Preston & Theo Williams combined. Forcing Battersby into the save at the foot of his left hand upright. And George Hornshaw drew an acrobatic save for the cameras from the visitor's number one. Defensively, Hornshaw was in the right place to block as Nicky Walker tried to pick a way through the Trinity defence.

Things started to heat up, as Cleethorpes felt a couple of decisions didn't go their way in the middle of the park. Boateng going in late on McLoughlin. The midfielder picking up a caution for his troubles.

When Williams was harshly adjudged to have fouled. Cleethorpes took the freekick quickly, but Ashley Jackson was alert to the danger, sliding in to halt the attack.

And on the hour mark, Tuntulwana was in the right place, at the right time, steering a low effort beyond Battersby, into the tightest of gaps to put Trinity in front. Gainsborough capitalising on a mis-placed pass, skipper Butroid swept the ball into the grass in behind, and Williams used his pace to blaze away from the Cleethorpes back line.

Battersby did well to stand up. Denying the on loan Kings Lynn man. But there was nothing he, or the retreating defender could do, to stop Sisa scoring his and Trinity's first goal of 2026.

Following the goal, Cleethorpes made a string of substitutions, some forced, others looking to add fresh impetus, but the visitors struggled to penetrate a disciplined back line. And when the Owls did find a way through - Robson was on hand to repel any further danger.

Javelle Clarke replaced the lively Theo Williams with a quarter of the game to play. And within ten minutes of his introduction, he gave Trinity the two goal cushion. A solo run from halfway, matched by the calmness of his finish.

Clarke then looked to turn provider as he squared for Margetts - but he couldn't generate the power & Clee tried to counter.

Aaron Simpson was forced off in added time, when he was caught late. Young Mansfield Town loanee Charlie Carter making his bow, as a late substitute. Robbo making another reaction save from point blank range - to preserve his tenth clean sheet of the season. And third in the last five games. The victory giving Trinity the perfect start to 2026, climbing to seventh. Six points off Warrington Rylands in fifth, with two games in hand. As the saying goes - Remain Positive - Happy New Year, Blues!

Weather permitting, we're away to Bamber Bridge next, on Tuesday night. Let's go!

The Teams

Gainsborough Trinity David Robson, Aaron Simpson (Charlie Carter 90+1) Ashley Jackson, Jacob McLoughlin, Charlie Parks, George Hornshaw, Lewis Butroid, Theo Williams (Javelle Clarke 73) Jonny Margetts, Sisa Tuntulwana, Fraser Preston
Subs not used: Ollie Sykes, Ethan Hodgetts
Goals: Sisa Tuntulwana 60, Javelle Clarke 83

Cleethorpes: Ollie Battersby, Dan Gallimore (Bdn Andreucci 78) Josh Wilde, Baoley Conway, James Blunden (Connor O'Grady 66) Callum Foster, Kwame Boateng (Jack Vann 70) Brad Abbott (Aaron Braithwaite 38) Josh Walker, Billy Whitehouse (Callum Ainsley 70) Nicky Walker

Match Sponsors, Claire Hardwick & Friends, selected Sisa Tuntulwana as their Gainsborough Trinity Man of the Match.

Report by Rob Hughes (@AATM_Media)
Images & Album by Sean Cook (@FoxbyMedia)