Delayed Battle of the Blues ends all square as Gainsborough Trinity and Lancaster City share the points
The Battle of the Blues between Gainsborough Trinity and Lancaster City ended 0-0 in Lincolnshire, in a game that was severely interrupted in the first half, seeing the game finish more than half an hour behind all of the other games in the division.
And so, the two teams with near identical records after five games, remain locked together, Lancaster placed one place above the Holy Blues virtue of a solitary one goal difference.
Trinity boss, Russ Wilcox, named fifteen of the same players in his matchday squad. The one change saw Jacob McLoughlin amongst the substitutes, with Curtis Durose missing out. Harrison Beeden once again starting at the heart of the Gainsborough defence, that again saw Lewis Butroid offering outlets down the flanks.
Beeden was a strong performer for Trinity, coming up against one of his former clubs. Both sides keeping the ball well in patches, but rarely troubling either goalkeeper.
A probing move had Trinity asking questions. And despite Aaron Simpson being injured in the build up, Mulhern was able to hit the target, but Brad Kelly was equal to his effort. Simpson subsequently replaced by Sisa Tuntulwana, with 70 minutes still to play.
Dylan Moonan had his head in his hands, half an hour in. His free-header glanced wide from Lancaster’s first corner of the afternoon.
Evangelinos saw his shot charged down, but kept possession, floating a deep cross to the back post, but Moonan couldn't pick his spot.
Shortly afterwards an injury to Assistant Referee Craig Holland saw the game placed on hold for nearly 20 minutes, as a replacement official was sourced.
Eventually Daniel Taylor, stepped forward to offer his services. The former Gainsborough Chief Steward donning the flag on the Carlilse Street Stand side.
When play eventually resumed almost 18 minutes later, Trinity almost caught Lancaster cold. Jonny Margetts firing a gilt-edge chance wide after he was well found by Javelle Clarke.
Beeden then snuck round the back, only to see his effort bravely blocked, from Lewis Butroid’s corner that was helped on by Frank Mulhern. Margetts did well with his back to.goal. controlling a high bouncing ball, he was brought to ground in a dangerous position. And from 25 yards, Fraser Preston bent the ball round the wall, but Brad Kelly saw it all the way.
There was then to be another enforced break in play, due to a medical emergency in the crowd, when play eventually resumed, there was four more minutes before Mr Ahmed brought an eventful half to a close at 4.20.
Just past the hour mark, Margetts looked to release Tuntulwana with a beautifully weighted through ball, but Kelly smothered, as Sisa drove through a rare gap at the heart of the Lancaster defence. Beeden was then called into action, to clear off the line, as Lancaster substitute Steve Yarwood rounded David Robson. Robson had done well to force the lively striker wide, but Harrison slid in to protect his goal with some quality last-ditch defending.
Lancaster's James Craig tried a speculative effort from range, that Robson dealt with calmly before Tuntulwana intercepted a loose ball, deep in his own half, and broke down the right, switching play and finding Margetts with a brilliant ball. Hurried, Margetts shot early, straight at Kelly. And with it, perhaps Trinity's best chance of grabbing all three points.
Yarwood was then denied by Robson in stoppage time, as the striker nipped in behind, only to be confronted by a starfish block from the ex-Hull City stopper, preserving his second successive clean sheet and his third in five games.