Gainsborough Trinity hang on to wrap up the win over Corby Town

A Greg Mills penalty reduced the gap on 67 minutes, after Simon Russell had opened the scoring two minutes before the break.

Liam Davis added the second in added time at the end of the half - but the home side were unable to find the equaliser, as Trinity returned to Lincolnshire with the three points in the bag.

The game started brightly with both sides looking to test out the opposing backlines.

Kane Richards’ pace looked a threat, but had his wings clipped with the offside flag raised. Marc Newsham and Craig Reid looked to pick up where they left off in last weeks’ game against AFC Telford, but Newsham’s game was over before he had gotten up a sweat, rolling his ankle early on, on what proved to be a sapping surface.

The injury prompted a reshuffle and the entrance of Jamie Yates in for the luckless Newsham, with Richards forced into a more advanced role, just off the lone front man.

Yet this shift didn’t have such an impact with the Blues working hard to press the ball and, with Jan Budtz in the Trinity goal looking to collect and utilise the full-backs quickly, the wide men were brought into the game regularly.

Former Boston United front man Spencer Weir-Daley looked to make Trinity pay for some slack defending, making room for a shot, but failing to trouble Budtz, before Duane Courtney drove forward and stung the palms of the giant Dane with a fierce effort from 20 yards.

Craig Reid then went close for Gainsborough, patient build up from Trinity saw the ball worked into the penalty area and the former Lincoln man turned well, but dragged his shot wide of the far post.

Town looked dangerous on the break, but Dominic Roma was alert, sweeping round well on the cover to ensure the scores remained level.

Those shots across the bow, sprang Trinity into life and the best move of the game was rewarded with a fortuitous penalty after a five man move involving Liam Davis, Simon Russell, Jonathan D’Laryea, Jamie Yates and Courtney Wildin sprung the defensive trap after some sumptuous possession play and Wildin’s cut back found Davis.

Davis, recalled to the starting line up, felt contact as a tangle of legs brought the wide man crashing to the ground. Simon Russell stepped up to despatch, low past Sam Donkin and put the away side in the driving seat.

And it was two for Trinity two minutes later - with Wildin being invited forward from left back.

He won a corner which Jamie Yates whipped into the near post - and to the delight of the travelling faithful, Davis himself diverted the ball goalwards and from point blank range.

Having gone two down on the stroke of half-time, Corby came back out for the second half fired up.

And with Trinity content to soak up pressure for long periods, the visitors found themselves under the cosh for long periods.

It was only after Mills’ penalty however, that the former Telford man really came into the game, WITH his direct running a constant threat to the Gainsborough defence.

Despite plenty of huff and puff from the hosts they were unable to unhinge a solid backline performance, typified minutes from time, by Courtney Wildin who produced the save of the game.

ith Budtz in no mans’ land the young Sheffield Wednesday loanee raced round on the cover and bravely headed clear from under his own cross bar.

And, despite a couple of nervy final few minutes, Trinity were able to hang on for a crucial three points that move the side up to tenth in the table

Corby Town: Donkin, Courtney, Thomas, Malone (Downey), Appleton, Brown, Mills, Taylor, Robbins (Kromah) Weir-Daley (McDonald), O’Hanlon. Subs not used: Draper, Aridegbe.

Gainsborough Trinity: Budtz, Roma, Lacey, Wildin, D’Laryea, Picton, Russell, Richards, Newsham (Yates), Reid, Davis

Subs not used: Hedge, Binns, Karkach, Stamp.

Referee: Simon Barrow.

Attendance: 541.

Man of the Match: Simon Russell.