Russ Wilcox made four changes from the side narrowly beaten by Bury at the weekend. Missing out through minor knocks were vice captain Lewis Butroid & midfielder George Hornshaw, while Theo Williams and Jordan Helliwell started on the bench for the Holy Blues. Making their first starts for Trinity were Ben Blythe, Elliott Whitehouse & Connor Brown, as Bobby Johnson made his first start since Boxing Day.

The first real opening saw a routine gather for David Robson after Elias Reaney was allowed to travel too far without being closed down. A scrapy first half where little football was played on a difficult 3G surface saw the deadlock broken on thirty-two minutes with a piece of real quality down the Gainsborough left.

Starting with an Ashley Jackson throw, the visitors. Finding Ashton Offler, his neat lay off found the throw in taker Jackson, neat play saw Fraser Preston find Ben Blythe, his ball round the corner, found Connor Brown, as Blythe continued his run, Brown made the ball stick. Holding the ball up, he waited for the run of Preston beyond him, and Preston escaped down the left, flashing the ball into the centre for Blythe to sweep home his second of the campaign.

A poor clearance gifted possession back to Quorn, but Lawerence-Lowther couldn’t capitalise. Taking a touch too many before firing over the top. Ten minutes after taking the lead, the hosts were back on terms though, Peter Abimbola tried his luck from range, and an uncharacteristic error from Trinity ‘keeper Robson saw the ball squirm through his grasp. Quorn’s central midfielder had initially done well to win the ball back from a Trinity throw, before playing a neat one-two with Tim Berridge. Finding the space to try his luck.

Abimbola linked with Lawerence-Lowther again shortly before half time, but the experienced midfielder Lindon Meikle couldn’t find the target from 25 yards out.

Connor Brown was proving to be a handful, winning a number of freekicks for his side, but a little too eager, his running in behind catching the Assistant’s flag. As he gets used to his new team mates, with more minutes in the bank, he will become a threat in the division.

Half Time: Quorn FC 1 Gainsborough Trinity 1

Box to box midfielder, Abimbola looked to break up the play in front of his defence, showing great athleticism to cover the ground from one end of the pitch to the other, combining with the lively Madou Cisse down the left, the left wing back delivered a great ball in, but Berridge on his way back down, couldn’t guide his header on target.

Shortly before the hour mark, Wilcox changed things up. Making a double substitution, he replaced Whitehouse and Brown, with Jordan Helliwell & Theo Williams and immediately, Williams’ pace looked to cause the Methodists problems. Preston looked to create on the right, but saw his shot charged down. Jackson having more luck – stinging the palms of Laban, from distance. Jacko doing well to keep his effort on target.

Skipper, Bobby Johnson was next to try his luck from range – after a patient build up. The deep lying midfielder strode onto the ball, but he was not able to trouble Laban.

Offler did trouble the ‘keeper shortly after, but Laban made a superb reaction save to deny the Gainsborough top scorer. Jackson’s long throw was rebuffed, but his left footed delivery found Ashton round the back & his effort on goal was helped over the bar by a super reactionary stop.

With both Harrison Beeden & Jack Leckie strong in the air, dealing with the aerial threat well, Johnson was able to land on the second ball, hooking a long ball forward for the lively Williams to chase. He used his pace to get in behind brilliantly, holding off his man, he was forced wide, and could only drag his effort wide of the post

Again. Williams posed problems but wasn’t awarded a foul on the edge of the box, and the hosts drove forward Jesse Friend slipping in Theo Robinson down the side. The veteran took the ball in his stride and broke into the box, before going to ground under very little pressure. The referee having little hesitation in pointing to the spot, though contact looked minimal. Less than two minutes into his Quorn debut, he had an immediate impact. Picking himself up to send Robson the wrong way from the spot.

Wilcox’s men were behind for the first time on the night, but would be behind for only three minutes, as Johnson hooked home a left foot volley from Ashley Jackson’s long throw.

Williams looked to use his pace to isolate himself against Meikle. But the former Buxton & Mansfield man read his intentions and tidied up. Allowing Friend to release the lively Robinson. As he cut back onto his right – Robson was bravely down at the experienced front man’s feet.

Jackson and Javelle Clarke combined down the left, with Jacko bombing down the left and swinging in another dangerous ball. Quorn made a hash of the clearance (no pun intended) and Offler teed up Preston – but the playmaker could only flash his effort wide of the upright.

Two minutes into stoppage time, Preston hooked a loose ball on for Williams, to show a clean pair of heels in behind. Only to be denied by the brave Laban. Trinity had the chances to win the game, but ultimately lacked the clinical edge needed to take all three points.

The games continue coming thick and fast, as next up for Russ Wilcox’s men is the trip to Ashton United, in the rearranged Friday night game. It’s a 7:45pm kick off at Hurst Cross, before the Holy Blues entertain Cleethorpes Town on Bank Holiday Monday. Trinity looking to add to the ten points posted on the board, so far.

The Teams

Quorn: Jake Laban, Fin Tunstall, Luke Cox, Mason Frizelle, Elias Reaney, Peter Abimbola (Jayden Campbell-Ryce) Tim Berridge, Jayden-Samuel Lawerence-Lowther (Theo Robinson 70) Jesse Friend, Lindon Meikle, Madou Cisse
Subs not used: Oscar Mashall, Luke Shaw & Ethan Bojang
Quorn goals: Abimbola 42’ Robinson 73’ (pen)

Gainsborough Trinity: David Robson, Harvey Sutcliffe, Ashley Jackson, Bobby Johnson, Jack Leckie, Harrison Beeden, Ben Blythe (Javelle Clarke 75) Elliott Whitehouse (Jordan Helliwell 57) Connor Brown (Theo Williams 57) Ashton Offler, Fraser Preston
Subs not used: Jacob McLoughlin & Lewis Greenfield
Gainsborough goals: Ben Blythe 32’ & Bobby Johnson 77’

Attendance: 373
Referee: Jamie Conde
Match Report by Rob Hughes (@AATM_Media)
Images by Ben Page