Butroid double seals win for Gainsborough Trinity at Ashton United

Two first half goals from returning Lewis Butroid gave the side the advantage going in at the break, and a solidified rear guard action ensured Trinity returned to Lincolnshire with all three points in the bag whilst leapfrogging the Robins.

Boss Russ Wilcox made three changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Quorn three days before.

There were recalls for Butroid, George Hornshaw and Theo Williams, which saw Bobby Johnson, Elliott Whitehouse and Connor Brown start on the bench for the Holy Blues.

United lost experienced forward Darius Osei in the warm up, replacing him with experienced, former Stockport County goal-getter Kurt Willoughby

The Holy Blues got off to the dream start when Butroid volleyed home on seven minutes, to give keeper Tommy Taylor no time to set himself.

Ashton had a throw in, in their left back position, which Harvey Sutcliffe did well to win the first contact.

Helped on by Ashton Offler, he found Jordan Helliwell linking up from midfield, and his dinked ball onto Butroid was perfectly weighted.

Butroid was causing Ashton all sorts of problems from his position on the left hand side, young full back Spencer Knight powerless to stop the Trinity skipper, who edges ever closer to his 150 appearances for his hometown club.

Looking to cross, Knight appeared to block the cross with arms in an unnatural position, but with the referee allowing play to continue, it was Lewis who reacted first, landing on the loose ball inside the penalty area.

He cut onto his right foot, flashing an effort narrowly wide of the far post.

But Butroid did make it two on 34 minutes.

Theo Williams applied the pressure and Harry Flowers, having a couple of minutes to forget, skied his clearance into the air.

He tried to redeem himself, appearing to handle – and then with Williams nipping in around his feet, Flowers felled the Gainsborough forward, with Ashley Royston pointing to the spot.

Taking responsibility, Butroid fired confidently past Taylor for his, and Trinity’s second of the night.

David Robson had to be alert three minutes before the break. Alex Byrne pinched the ball back on the edge of the box, feeding a cute ball into Dan Turner.

But he saw Robson smartly down to his right hand side to divert the ball behind for a corner.

Ashton came out after the break fired up and Mikey O’Neil thumped an effort a couple of yards wide of Robson's right hand upright - the ball striking the referee in the build up with the Trinity players expecting the game to have been stopped for a dropball.

Johnson and Ashley Jackson threw their bodies in the way, as the Robins’ corner count rose.

Trinity looked to have done enough to hold onto the clean sheet, as the board was raised to indicate four added minutes.

Unfortunately for once, Trinity couldn’t clear their defensive lines, and Justin Johnson drilled a low effort past Robson from 20 yards to reduce the deficit.