Gainsborough Trinity managed to maintain their undefeated start to 2026 following a 1-1 draw with Hednesford Town at the KAL Group Stadium.
Manager Russ Wilcox decided to shake up the pack by making two changes to a side that hadn’t played since January 17.
The hosts started the better in the first 15 minutes of the match, but failed to find the back of the net.
Wilcox had commented before the game that his side needs to be more clinical in front of goal.
Hednesford slowly managed to find their footing at the KAL Group Stadium, turning the game in their favour and a chance from Montel Gibson challenging Trinity shot stopper David Robson.
The Holy Blues did well to keep their Staffordshire opponents quiet until the half hour mark when contact from Jordan Helliwell just inside the box caused referee Richard Morris to give a penalty.
Akheem Rose stepped up and put the ball calmly past Robson to put the visitors up a goal to nil.
When asked about the decision, Gainsborough manager Russ Wilcox said: “It wasn’t a penalty.
“I think it’s a very weak penalty, lads are saying it’s outside of the box, and it was shoulder to shoulder. We had to swallow that.”
Both teams kept trying before the interval, however Trinity couldn’t mount enough pressure to result in a goal, so went in behind at the break.
After a delay to starting the second half, the visitors maintained the pressure they had built on the hosts.
Seven minutes into the half, Wilcox introduced new young loanee signing Henry Brown from Grimsby Town.
Brown had a dream debut getting a goal back for Trinity after fellow substitute Jonny Margetts set the young attacking midfielder through one-on-one with Pitmen goalkeeper Tony Breeden.
He slid the ball comfortably past Breeden, who had come off his line, to make it 1-1 with around ten minutes of the game to go
Players like Sisa Tuntulwana, Frank Mulhern and Jack Leckie all put pressure on the side from Staffordshire but couldn’t find a way to get a second Trinity goal.
Late on in the game, Ashley Jackson was sent off for the Holy Blues meaning the home side had to play through the five minutes of additional time a player down.
On his team’s performance, Wilcox said: “Outstanding, a tough challenge.
“They’ve spent a lot of money – they have a big budget. A good strong outfit. We knew today the physicality was important.
“Disappointed, to a degree, with the result. Felt it could have been a 1-0 win. To come back and get a point is a great credit to the group.”