Gainsborough Trinity 1 Bamber Bridge 1

Gainsborough Trinity were left frustrated after Bamber Bridge snatched a late equaliser to share the spoils at the Kal Group Stadium. Jack Baxter cancelling out Connor Brown’s sixth goal of the season for the Holy Blues.

Details

Russ Wilcox made three changes from midweek. George Hornshaw was missing. The injury that forced him off before half time, on Tuesday, keeping him out of this one. Ronnie Kokkinos & Javelle Clarke donned different numbers, while Frank Mulhern & full backs Aaron Simpson and Ben Blythe came in to freshen things up in the full back positions.

The Holy Blues looked set to return to winning ways following their midweek defeat against Curzon Ashton, only for Jack Baxter to spoil the treat just six minutes from time. Both sides were desperate to get the three points and get back to winning ways after losing their last games against Curzon and Workington respectively – and the dawn of a new era for Bamber Bridge with their new man in the dugout, former player, and ex-Preston North End midfielder Paul McKenna.

The first half ended goalless, being a game of few chances in a cat and mouse encounter with the best chance of the half coming from Trinity’s Javelle Clarke who blazed a strike over the bar, when well placed.

Half Time: Gainsborough Trinity 0 Bamber Bridge 0

Bamber Bridge started the second half the better of the two sides in a slow burner between Russ Wilcox’s Holy Blues and McKenna’s Brig. A couple of shots fired across the bow, with Baxter firing narrowly wide, before Butterworth forced Robson into action.

Ash Jackson came off the bench to make his 150th appearance, in Trinity colours, in a straight swap for Blythe, who had been steady at full back. Jackson adding a different dimension to the Blues’ attack, in the same way as Sutcliffe replacing Simpson on the other flank.

In the 74th minute, Trinity finally broke the games deadlock with Connor Brown getting on the end of a ball from Frank Mulhern and slotting it underneath Brig’s number one Charlie Brier – but the Blues dropped off their intensity.

And four minutes from time, Baxter got the equaliser being given too much space on the edge of the box which ended up going beyond David Robson leaving the hosts frustrated that they could not hold out for the win

The Teams

Gainsborough Trinity: David Robson, Aaron Simpson (Harvey Sutcliffe 68) Ben Blythe (Ash Jackson 62) Ronnie Kokkinos, Jack Leckie, Harrison Beeden, Javelle Clarke (Theo Williams 62) Jordan Helliwell, Frank Mulhern, Connor Brown, Fraser Preston (Lewis Butroid 68)
 Sub not used: Ashton Offler

Bamber Bridge: Charlie Brier, Harley Illingworth, Nat Knight-Percival, Leo Thompson, Max Broughton, Jack Baxter, Jamie Allen, Jeff Adubofour (Harry Benns 62) James Butterworth, Temi Ajibola (Lewis Trickett 77) Tom Barkhuizen
Subs not used: Gospel Eze, Ben Woods & Kian Yamada

Pictured, Man of the Match Connor Brown in action, and being presented with his Award, by Match Sponsors Midlands Packaging Dies, based in Gainsborough.

Attendance: 501

Match report written by Rob Hughes (@AATM_Media)
Images by Ben Page