Gainsborough boss, Russ Wilcox had initially looked to make four changes from the side that had drew with Bamber Bridge last weekend, but the late withdrawal of George Hornshaw saw a reshuffle. Fraser Preston being restored to the starting line up, meaning it was just the three changes to seven days prior.

Harvey Sutcliffe and Ash Jackson were both restored in the full back positions. Ben Blythe was on the bench, Aaron Simpson not in the sixteen. Javelle Clarke was the final change, missing out as Lewis Butroid came back into the starting line up.

Despite the late change to the line up, Trinity started brilliantly. Connor Brown pressing from the front, forced a hurried clearance from Rylands ‘keeper Luke Pilling. The ball landing at the feet of Frank Mulhern on the left hand touch line instantly sending the ball back over the stranded goalkeeper. Only to land the wrong side of the upright.

Playing on the shoulder, Brown was able to find Mulhern. His chipped ball across goal found Preston, but caught in two minds – he didn’t control, or finish first time. Pilling a relieved man, as he quickly launched a counter attack. Calum Costello winning a foul, and Harvey Sutcliffe finding him on the receiving end of a harsh yellow card less than five minutes into the game.

Playing at a good tempo, Butroid, wearing the armband, got Trinity moving quickly from a restart, Mulhern setting for Ronnie Kokkinos (October’s Paddockwood Forget Player of the Month) to ghost in. His finish, a whisker wide of Pilling’s upright. Just three minutes later, Sutcliffe had time and space to pull the trigger from 25 yards. Pilling flinging himself athletically to his left to deny the Gainsborough full back.

Trinity were on top in the opening quarter of an hour. The attacking trio of Mulhern, Brown and Preston. Unplayable. But momentum would swing. And twice in a couple of moments David Robson was called into action. Out of nothing, Ben Hardcastle tried his luck from range, Robson getting down well to his left to save. Before Harrison Wood forced a reactionary stop from the Trinity shot-stopper, but there was nothing he could do. A well worked corner routine saw Charlie Munrow swing the ball into a good area, and Costello provided the telling touch. Glancing the ball into the far corner.

A crazy spell midway through the half, saw Brown finally awarded a freekick Paddy Gamble unable to deal with the strikers’ movement. Butroid delivered the freekick, which was scrambled clear by Rylands. Turning defence to attack, Jordan Helliwell did brilliantly on the recovery for the Holy Blues, making a telling intervention. As the game continued to ebb and flow, Ronnie Kokkinos had the ball in the back of the net, only to see the effort ruled out for a handball in the build up. It seemed incredibly harsh, as Pilling had been caught in no mans land, striking the ball against the pressing Kokkinos, from half a yard away. There was little in the way of an appeal from the home side.

Robson was again called into action, with another smart stop, before Brown was hauled down by Gamble. Racing through on goal, albeit on the halfway line, the Trinity man was through, with Mulhern up in support as an option for the young striker. Gamble’s punishment – only yellow.

Brown tormented some more. Denied by the legs of Pilling, from a tight angle. From the corner, Rylands counter attacked, but Harvey Sutcliffe this time did well on the recovery. The hosts were now playing some good football, that was adding to the spectacle. Jack Leckie defending the box well, as he diverted a ball behind for a corner. Costello attacked the ball, heading into the ground & big centre forward George Waring just couldn’t connect around the back for Warrington.

South African international Dean Furman then lofted a ball through the middle for former Blackburn man Wood, but he got his lob all wrong. A temporary let off for the Holy Blues, as two minutes later Rylands would have a second. Munroe striking from range. His effort moving all over the place, deceiving Robson in the Trinity goal. Two became three, when it opened up for Wood thirty yards out. Hia strike arrowing into the bottom corner.

In no way did Russ Wilcox’s men deserve to be three down, and they weren’t – for long. Five minutes before the break, Lewis Butroid reduced the arrears, Ramming home after Mulhern played in Kokkinos, and Ronnie picked the pass to tee up his skipper, to net his thirtieth goal in Gainsborough colours.

Preston and Sutcliffe peppered Pilling’s goal as half time approached. Jackson picking up a yellow for a tangle with Waring, after the centre forward had already been spoken to on a couple of occasions. Harrison Beeden heading the danger clear, as an entertaining half drew to a close, with Trinity trailing.

Half Time: Warrington Rylands 3 Gainsborough Trinity 1

The second half started in much the same way as the first. Two good teams going at each other, Sutcliffe got away down the right well, delivering for Kokkinos, who saw his effort well blocked, before Robson had to be at his best plunging full length down to his left, to deny Hardcastle.

Theo Williams replaced Sutcliffe, as a more pacey outlet, and it nearly reaped instant reward. Preston swivelling in the box, Pilling getting down well to divert behind for a corner. Appeals that Jack Leckie was being held went unnoticed.

Just past the hour mark, Brown’s perseverance created half an opening, but he wasn’t quite able to get enough bend on the ball to bring it back on target. Both sides playing their part in a quite entertaining encounter.

Gamble was all over Brown again, the Assistant awarding the freekick, but again, the Rylands man escaped a second booking. The freekick coming to nothing, and as Rylands sprung defence to attack, Jawad Jebrin went on a direct run. Going to ground, under Trinity pressure. He was booked for diving. Neil Reynolds in the Warrington dugout incandescent. Asking the Assistant Referee to intervene. Unfortunately for him, that was something he hadn’t done all afternoon – and wasn’t about to there. This time it was a call in favour of the visitors. But a correct one? Perhaps not.

As Trinity chased a way back into the game, Rylands looked to exploit any gaps. Hardcastle poking an effort goalwards, that Robson did well to get down to – and hold on to.

With twenty to play, Gamble was again all over Brown. But again, the hardworking forward didn’t get the decision. The Rylands management making the decision to replace Gamble with Matty Regan. Perhaps an indication they knew they had got away with one too many.

Blythe, on for Jackson swung a high hanging cross in for Ashton Offler to challenge for. Pilling claiming under pressure, went down, with Offler spoken to by the Referee. Before Robson made another important save & Regan blocked from Williams’ effort after Mulhern and Offler had combined.

Regan was in the right place to block at the back post, as Harrison Beeden looked to get on the end of a deep ball. Offler connected well with a bicycle kick, straight at Pilling… he almost caught it too well. Another Trinity corner was cleared, but Jake Burton gave away the foul forty yards out. Centrally, Mulhern lined the freekick up. The ball was certainly moving. And It was on target, but Pilling flung himself to his right to deny the Trinity talisman.

Even into five minutes of added time, the game continued to be full of intrigue Jebrin danced through on the counter. Squaring for Burton, Leckie made a superb intervention. Blocking bravely. Robson was called into action. Saving with his feet from Hardcastle. Before Kokkinos drifted past three blue shirts, only to see his shot deflected behind for a corner, that as it was cleared away from danger – saw the game brought to a close.

A spirited performance. An action-packed spectacle, that Trinity didn’t deserve to lose. An inspired performance between the sticks from Pilling, making for a very tight top of the table! Still, with plenty to play for, we go again next weekend, when we welcome Lancaster City to the Kal Group Stadium. Let’s use that game to get back to winning ways, when the Holy Blues, take on the Dolly Blues. Let’s go boys!

The Teams

Warrington Rylands: Luke Pilling, Clive Smith, Patrick Gamble (Matt Regan 70) Dean Furman, Guy Hall. Charlie Munroe, Harrison Wood, Ben Hardcastle, George Waring, Calum Costello (Jake Burton 83) Joe Riley (Jawad Jebrin 62)
Subs not used: Stanley Holder & Myles La Bastide

Rylands goals: Calum Costello 21, Charlie Munroe 36, Harrison Wood 38
Bookings: Patrick Gamble, Jawad Jebrin & Harrison Wood

Gainsborough Trinity: David Robson, Harvey Sutcliffe (Theo Williams 56) Ash Jackson (Ben Blythe 66) Fraser Preston (Javelle Clarke 62) Jack Leckie, Harrison Beeden, Lewis Butroid, Jordan Helliwell (Ashton Offler 75) Frank Mulhern, Connor Brown, Ronnie Kokkinos
Sub not used: Elliott Whitehouse
Gainsborough goal: Lewis Butroid 40
Trinity bookings: Harvey Sutcliffe. Ash Jackson & Jordan Helliwell

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