Jonny Margetts was the only change to the starting line up, that ran out victorious over Hyde United in midweek. Fresh from his goal and assist, he replaced the injured Frank Mulhern, who wasn’t risked. New signing, Harvey Sutcliffe, started on the bench. The versatile, former Leeds United youngster, only having met his team mates on the morning of the fixture.

Rushall dominated the early exchanges, creating a number of good openings, but the home side had seemingly left their shooting boots at home. Seeing a clutch of opportunities wasted. The first came just five minutes in, when Luke Enright planted a yard wide of the upright, when unmarked at the back post.

On the quarter hour mark, Max Ram rose highest to get his head to Cater Lycett’s pin point delivery. The central defenders’ towering header, not far off the target Trinity were beginning to come to terms with the difficult surface. And a wonderful give and go involving Theo Williams and Margetts, saw Theo in behind. On his weaker foot – he looked to return the ball to Trinity’s leading marksman, but the final ball just evaded it’s intended target.

A couple of moments later, and a raking ball forwards from Harrison Beeden found Theo Williams, who had timed his run brilliantly. His instinctive early strike whistling a yard wide of the far post.

Enright was again in the right place, shortly before half time. But couldn’t find the telling touch. Roddy McGlinchley drove forward down the left, before finding Kruyszenski. His ball found Enright unmarked at the back post, but his swept effort didn’t trouble Robson. Who held on.

Half Time: Rushall Olympic 0 Gainsborough Trinity 0

Straight from the restart, Fraser Preston looked to unlock the Olympic defence. A clever offload to the supporting Jordan Helliwell saw the bustling midfielder arc his effort just the wrong side of post and bar. Beeden & Jack Leckie wondered how they hadn’t opened the scoring from Lewis Butroid’s set piece delivery. With Trinity starting to tighten the screw. The visitors were denied, when Aurio Texieria headed off the line, and the follow up scrambled wide of the post.

Shortly after though, Fraser Preston opened his league account for the season. Curling home a splendid effort into the top left hand corner, following a good move down the left hand side. Both Ashley Jackson and Lewis Butroid combined down the left, finding Williams, who teed up Preston to his right. Taking a touch, and dipping inside, before curling beyond the ‘keeper and putting the Holy Blues in the driving seat.

One nearly became two, when Theo Williams was sent sprawling just inside the box. Pointing to the spot, less than five minutes after going in front. Jonny Margetts saw his spot kick saved by the late replacement between the sticks. Preston sweeping home the rebound – before his strike was chalked off, and the joy short-lived amongst the excellent travelling contingent. Preston deemed to have encroached, prior to the kick being taken.

And to add insult to injury – Alex Moore’s thunderstrike from twenty-five yards – dragged the Pics back onto level terms. His hit from distance crashing off the bar, and both posts, before finally nestling in Robbo’s net, a mere sixty seconds after the penalty was saved. Rushall rallied after the goal, but Leckie, Beeden and Jackson were immense at the back. Dealing brilliantly with the physical threat of the hosts. Supported by Butroid and Simpson in the wing back positions, and George Hornshaw and Helliwell covering every blade of grass in the middle of the park, it was the Blues that had the best chance to take all three points.

Butroid split the Rushall defence with a beautiful ball, that Javelle Clarke raced on to. Somehow, with the ball behind him, Kilroy managed to get something on the ball, to take the sting out of Javelle’s effort.

The Holy Blues were forced into a late change, when Butroid was felled on the far side, late in the game. He was replaced by Ashton Offler, as Wilcox opted to put on the centre back, to ensure Gainsborough returned to Lincolnshire, with at least a point. The physicality of the home side a deciding factor, as with each substitution they made, they went bigger – and bigger.

Next up for the Holy Blues, is the first of back to back home games, at the Kal Group Stadium. Tuesday night sees Bamber Bridge visit the Northolme, before Warrington Rylands come to town, on Saturday. The team will need your backing, as we look to cement a spot in the play-off places. A win, in one of our games in hand over Warrington Rylands, on Tuesday would see the Blues leapfrog the side currently occupying fourth spot.

And with Stockton away at the new league leaders’ FC United of Manchester (at the seventh attempt) it’s all to play for in the Pitching In Northern Premier League!

The Teams

Rushall Olympic Jenson Kilroy, Max Ram , Carter Lycett, Aurio Teixeira, Jordan Brown, Jamie Willets, Roddy McGlinchey (Nick Clayton-Phillips 75) Ozane Okuonghae (Alex Moore, 66) Anthony Dwyer (Daniel Chimeziri 79) Luke Enright (Harry Wakefield 46) Jakob Kruszynski (Liam McAlinden 55)
Rushall goal: Alex Moore 75’
Rushall bookings: Max Ram (ungentlemanly conduct) Liam McAllinden (foul)

Gainsborough Trinity: David Robson, Aaron Simpson, Ashley Jackson, George Hornshaw, Jack Leckie, Harrison Beeden, Lewis Butroid (Ashton Offler 90+1) Jordan Helliwell, Jonny Margetts, Theo Williams (Javelle Clarke 76) Fraser Preston
Subs not used: Harvey Sutcliffe, Jacob McLoughlin & Henry Brown
Gainsborough goal: Fraser Preston 67’

Attendance 364
Referee: Thomas Durno
Assistants: Lam Yum Fai & Abde Chourakane

Report by Rob Hughes (@AATM_Media)
Images by Ben Page & Tommy Cox