Gainsborough Trinity push away from relegation scrap with a comfortable 3-0 win over Northern Premier League strugglers Basford United.
The Holy Blues returned to the KAL Group Stadium after an away win to Atherton Collieries the last time out. The hosts went into the game as favourites, with Basford United having only picked up six points from a possible 42 on the road this season. The Lions had only won two of their last 16 games heading into the game.
With three clean sheets in their last five games, Trinity were hoping to sure up their defensive issues from the first half of the season.
First-Half:
After a scrappy opening ten minutes, Trinity ‘keeper Dylan Wharton was called into action, punching the ball to safety from a Basford cross down the left-hand side.
Then, a moment of worry for Gainsborough as Dayle Southwell came off for Fraser Preston in the 22nd minute, following a hamstring injury.
The first effort of the game would fall to the visitors in the 24th minute, with Basford striker Remaye Campbell’s, who scored all three goals in the last meeting, shot from outside the box being blocked straight into the hands of Wharton.
It would be Gainsborough Trinity who struck first in the 29th minute as Dylan Cogill’s audacious ball over the top was held up brilliantly by early substitute Preston. The ball was then played into the path of Lewis Butroid, whose cross was inadvertently turned in by Basford’s Jack Lewis.
The Holy Blues would pile on the pressure, with Butroid finding himself in behind the defence again, but he failed to find the back of the net thanks to the foot of Basford keeper Kieran Preston.
The hosts would keep up their spell of dominance going into the break, with substitute Preston finding himself in a shooting position from 20 yards out. His effort would only find the gloves of the Basford keeper however.
Second-Half:
After a cagey opening 15 minutes, Declan Howe would have the first chance of the half in the 62nd minute, catching the ball on the half-volley at a tight angle straight at the keeper.
Gainsborough would keep up the pressure less than a minute later, with substitute Bobby Johnson playing the ball into Howe, who again had a chance to double the lead if it were not for the heroics of Jack Lewis.
The hosts were in full flow by the 66th minute, as Ashley Jackson’s cross found the head of Fraser Preston, whose effort trickled just wide of the post.
It would take Basford up to the 69th minute to have their first attempt of the half, with substitute Tyler Dacre hitting a speculative effort onto the roof of the net.
Fraser Preston would show his quality again, cutting the Basford defence open with a deft ball over the top to Danny Devine whose tame header was held by the keeper.
The hosts would be ecstatic minutes later when Butroid’s mazey run past three defenders would lead to a penalty after Mason Frizelle handled the ball. Declan Howe comfortably dispatched from 12-yards for his tenth goal of the season, sending the keeper the wrong way to double the host’s lead.
New signing Joe Stacy, who replaced the lively Butroid in the 77th minute, would get his first goal for the club just four minutes into his debut, pouncing on Howe’s flick on into the six-yard box.
The visitors left the game wondering how they had not scored as Tyler Dacres’ header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Wharton from point blank range.
Gainsborough Trinity 3-0 Basford United:
Gainsborough Trinity ran out a comfortable win against an out of form Basford United, taking them up to 16th in the table.
Russ Wilcox’s side kept their fourth clean sheet in six games, their best defensive run this season. Basford were forced to another defeat away from home, making it five games without a win.
The Holy Blues travel to Matlock Town on Tuesday, hoping to win three games on the spin for the first time since March 2023.
Feature Image Credit: Phoebe Duckworth