United Give Trinity Run for Cup Money

Gainsborough Trinity 2, Denaby United 1.

Denaby United will play a lot worse than they did at Gainsborough on Saturday and still win matches. United were in the mood for a good FA Cup run this year and did everything to deserve a second preliminary round to win over Trinity. It wasn’t to be, for the Northholme is Denaby’s bogey ground – luckily for Trinity.

One of the best goals of the season by Barton put United ahead after less than half an hour, but Knights pulled back the deficit within 10 minutes and Billings gave the Lincolnshire side the lead shortly before half-time. In the second half Trinity never looked like adding to the score and that slender lead was time and again shaken by a United side which had no thoughts of defeat.

That first goal of Barton’s was in inspiration. The centre forward controlled a centre from the left and swept through the dumb founded Gainsborough defence. Knights equaliser was taken in similar style after 37 minutes, and when Billings gave Trinity the lead, the crowd of some 1500 gave a roar of relief.

No doubt many expected a repeat of last year’s 4-1 defeat of Denaby in the same Cup round, but the second half didn’t go the way they expected.

Skimmed bar

Twice in the first seven minutes after the restart, Denaby outside right Cooper skimmed the bar. Launders had a good shot blocked on the line and Wiggles dived to head Alan Cooper’s lob just wide. The luckiest of many lucky escapes for Trinity came as Launders hit the post after 67 minutes. The ball should have gone in off the inside of the of the tubular upright but somehow spun out.

At the end of the game, Denaby had the consolation of warm applause for the ever generous Northholme crowd and a tribute from a Trinity official who told United chairman, Mr. Langford: “this had been the hardest game we had this season”.

A tribute indeed from a club which has yet to lose a match in the Midland league.

Teams and ratings:

Gainsborough: Fogan, Greene, Stainton, Kilkenny, Mordue, Knights, Waite, Billings, Nicholson, Brown, Rooney.

Denaby: Smith (G.) 8 Wiggles 7 Caunt 7 Collins 8 Cooper (B.) 7 Ainscough 7 Cooper (A.) 8 Launders 7 Barton 7 Smith (M) 8 Smith (G.) 7

Referee Mr. C. Straws (Retford) 6