With the suspension, for David Robson’s red card after the full time whistle last weekend, kicking in, Russ Wilcox was forced into one change. Archie Howard, the young Hull City shot-stopper answering the real Russ Wilcox’s SOS. And donning the gloves for the Holy Blues. In the other more routine change, Jack Leckie was restored to the back line, once again partnering Harrison Beeden. Ben Blythe dropping to the substitutes bench.

Straight from kick off, Wilcox’s men were looking to gain territory and ask questions of the visitors. Howard’s long ball down field forcing a hurried clearance into touch. Ash Jackson hurling a long throw into the box, that earned a corner for the hosts, but as Avro looked to counter – Connor Brown did brilliantly, tracking back to halt the visitors in their tracks.

Williams then looked to close down Jon Robinson, who dallied on a clearance. Charging down the ‘keepers attempted punt. It could have gone anywhere, but fortunately for the visiting shot stopper – it looped up into his grateful arms. Leckie then flicked another Jackson long throw goalwards, but it drifted wide, before the visitors were rocked by the loss of their top scorer, former Bury man Benito Lowe. Innocuously, off the ball, the player went down in agony. Quickly replaced by James Holland-Wilkinson.

With the diminutive figure of Harry Salt up top, Avro were clever with their approach play. Using his small centre of gravity well, to nip in and around the bigger defenders. Midway through the half, Taylor Dyson went into the notebook. Fouling Fraser Preston in the centre circle, he then delayed the restart, as Trinity looked to get on with things quickly. The yellow card flashed his way.

Trinity were restricting the free-scoring visitors, and looking the more likely to find the breakthrough. Williams ruffling the side netting with a crisp low strike, before Avro got themselves in all kinds of bother, trying to play out from the back – but Preston blazed over when well placed. Just snatching at the chance, when he perhaps had more time than he thought.

Both number ones were commanding their areas well, punching away dangerous entries into their boxes. Leckie and Sutcliffe were combining to good affect on the right side of the defence, as Trinity continued to stifle the visitors.

In first half stoppage time, Jackson saw an effort of his charged down. The ball rebounding to the flame-haired full back. His left footed ball back into the box scrambled behind for a corner that ultimately came to nothing for Trinity. A half of few chances, but perhaps marginally shaded by the boys in blue. Goal-less at the break.

Half Time: Gainsborough Trinity 0 Avro 0

The wind at their backs, Avro came out fast. Jackson was nearly caught out, when the visiting winger nipped in on his blindside. Managing to recover, he seemed to lose his footing. Shielding the ball – the visitors’ appealed for a penalty, but had to be content with a corner. Gainsborough eventually managing to clear their lines. Punching clear a corner, Trinity looked to counter attack, with Connor Brown upended deep in his own half. Fitzpatrick another, ending up in the book for delaying a restart.

On 53, it was a moment of improvisation that saw the deadlock broken. And it came through the visitors Harry Salt. Acrobatically, with his back to goal, he sprung to meet Chiekh Thiam’s right wing centre. The full back pushed his opposite number backwards, retreating back into the area, electing not to make the challenge. A costly sequence, allowing Thiam the opportunity to pick out his man. As Howard couldn’t keep the ball out, at the foot of his left hand upright.

Sutcliffe found himself in the book for a strong challenge, the full back coming off worse from the challenge. Replaced by Bobby Johnson on the hour.

Following his spectacular opener, Salt had the bit between his teeth. Trying an audacious 35 yard effort, out of nothing. Howard was equal to that one – helping that one onto the crossbar, and behind for a corner. Trinity scrambling away the set piece. Brown dropped off, finding space, he released Williams in the box, as Trinity pushed in pursuit of an equaliser. But Williams’ ball – too high for Ashton Offler, who had replaced Lewis Butroid minutes earlier.

At the other end, Howard was called into action. Smartly down at his near post to parry Holland-Wilkinson’s effort behind. Popping up on the left hand side, Williams threatened, but with players to his right, he went for goal. Failing to hit the target.

As Trinity chased an equaliser, the gaps started to open up at the back – Trinity lost a couple to injury, as momentum slowed. Johnson forced off, less than half an hour after entering the fray. Holland-Wilkinson went close to doubling his side’s lead. Getting on the end of a long straight ball down the middle, the Avro man lifted over the advancing Howard. And over the bar.

Brown was providing the nuisance factor up top for Trinity. He won a freekick that Preston floated to the back post. But despite Leckie’s appeals for more, it drifted behind for a goal kick. Turning, shooting, but leaning back, Brown couldn’t trouble the scorers. And with that opportunity passed up - James Simms added Avro’s second in the second minute of stoppage time.

Clever forward play from Salt, saw him release Simms, who finished smartly past the exposed Howard. There was no time for a late rally, Trinity slipping to defeat by two goals to nil, at home to Avro, a result that saw Workington leapfrog Trinity into eighth place, largely thanks to their five successive NPL victories.

Attention must now turn to the Emirates FA Cup, as Trinity look to reach the First Round Proper for the third successive season… one can dream!

The Teams

Gainsborough Trinity: Archie Howard, Harvey Sutcliffe (Bobby Johnson 60 (Elliott Whitehouse 84) Ashley Jackson (Ben Blythe 82) George Hornshaw, Jack Leckie, Harrison Beeden, Lewis Butroid (Ashton Offler 67) Jordan Helliwell, Theo Williams, Connor Brown, Fraser Preston
Sub not used: Javelle Clarke

Avro: Jon Robinson, Chiekh Thiam, Adam Owen, James Dwyer, David Fitzpatrick, Max Harrop (Kane Hickman 70) Taylor Dyson, Jack Atkinson (Samuel Davidson 75) Benito Lowe (Jacob Holland-Wilkinson 11) Harry Salt, Ryley Smith (James Simms 72)
Sub not used: Leo Thompson
Avro scorers: Harry Salt 53, James Simms 90+2

Referee: Sufyaan Shafi
Attendance: 482

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