There was just one notable absentee, with George Hornshaw beginning a two week Holiday, as Wilcox kept to his word of mixing things up to ensure all his squad get valuable minutes ahead of August 9th. Frank Mulhern made his first start, while Lewis Butroid started at left back. Youngster, Jacob McLoughlin at right back, while Curtis Durose started in the engine room.
A blistering start saw some sensational one touch football slice the hosts open. Mulhern, Preston & Clarke involved. James Leverton was equal to Javelle’s attempt as he got on the end of the move. Leverton conceding the corner.
Mulhern opened the scoring shortly after. Timing his run, he nipped in behind, getting on the end of Preston's lofted pass, beating the 'keeper to the ball and rolling home a composed finish, with the 'keeper stranded. One became two a couple of minutes later. Preston was sent away down the right. With time and space, he got his head up - picked out Mulhern - and the former Scarborough Athletic & Stockport County man doubled his and Trinity's tally.
Clarke then saw his neat finish chalked off for offside after another patient phase of build up play. Bobby Johnson was looking to pull the string, raking a precision ball out to Butroid on the left. He tricked his way inside, picking out Clarke, but he could only scufff his shot through to Leverton. On the
stroke of half time, Bottesford winger, Jake Brown, cut in off the right hand side - and won his side a penalty. Aris Cunha stepped up from the spot and lifted a calm penalty into the top left hand corner, to reduce the arrears.
Mulhern, showing feet, Butroid was able to find the forward. Frank was able to turn and thread the ball through for Jordan Helliwell. Leverton doing well to stand up & deny Helliwell with his legs. Mulhern was replaced by Jonny Margetts shortly before half time - and it didn’t take long for him to be amongst the action. Margetts rounded off the scoring in first half stoppage time.
Moments after being denied a routine tap in at the back post. Undeterred, the trickier finish was duly dispatched. Meaning both forwards were able to get themselves up and running, goal wise, for the 2025/26 season. Both teams, understandably, made numerous changes during the second half as Wilcox looked to get an hour into players, with the season still four weeks out.
Half Time: Bottesford Town 1 Gainsborough Trinity 3
A raid down the Gainsborough right invited Aaron Simpson forward. But his low fizzed effort was blocked by Leverton. Billy Housham & Kyle Simpson came on for half an hour and looked lively in their link play.
But the hosts were looking to capitalise on a couple of openings. Narrowly over from a freekick, before Robson had to react bravely at the feet of a substitute Poachers' feet after an under hit backpass put the ex Hull City shot-stopper under pressure.
Ollie Sykes added to his minutes from Tuesday night, and he produced a good block in added time to prevent Bottesford grabbing a second. Trinity had got the goals early, and demonstrated control of the ball.
Fluid in possession, the rotation praised by the opposition management team. And with both strikers off the mark - an excellent afternoon's work for Russ Wilcox’s Holy Blues; who haven't conceded from open play in the first 180 minutes of pre-season action.
Next up, Trinity face Grimsby Town at the Kal Group Stadium on Tuesday evening. 7.30pm kick off for this one. Advance tickets can be purchased online. The game is not segregated and General Admission Tickets allow free movement around the ground.
Tickets are priced at £10 Adults, £6 Concessions and £2 Under 16s. Let's see as many people down as possible, in the first home pre-season fixture of the summer! It has been a while!
Words: Rob Hughes (@AATM_Media)
Images: Sean Cook (@FoxbyMedia)