Gainsborough Trinity hoping for last day results as play-off hopes hang by a thread
Gainsborough Trinity go into the final game of the season at Hyde United on Saturday still with an outside chance of making the play-offs, despite Saturday's hammer blow of a 2-1 defeat by struggling Prescot Cables.
Rivals Stockton and Lancaster played out a 1-1 draw on Saturday with both teams boasting a more impressive goal difference to go above Trinity ahead of the final game, so the Holy Blues must win and hope other results go their way if they are to extend their season.
But boss Russ Wilcox remained positive as he addressed supporters at the end of season Awards Night after the final home game of the season and said: “We're still in the race.
“It's incredible, I don't know how - but we're still in the race. Who's going to Hyde?
“We were awful today. I'm not going to dress that up. Individually and collectively we were nowhere near good enough - and then should probably have come away with a point.”
Cables went ahead after the break when George Hornshaw’s hurried clearance cannoned off the unfortunate Leckie and beyond Robson.
A Tuntulwana throw was then diverted past Pradic by his own centre back, Clarke, to level but within 10 seconds Tom Scully poached a winner.
“We get ourselves back in the game - then 10 seconds after the restart went behind again, and that summed our day up.
“We didn't have any fluency to our game. They sat off and made things difficult for us, but we've got to be better than that. And we are better than that.
“It has been such a disappointing last four or five games, not scoring goals, huffing and puffing. And we can't seem to get that first goal either.
“Both teams' opening goals are crazy and have an element of fortune about them.
“But when we equalise, we think we can go on and win - but do not lose it. We knew the results elsewhere. But no excuses, we apologise to the fans, knowing the magnitude of the game.
“But unbelievably, we are still in it. And we'll be giving it our all at Hyde on Saturday.”
Stockton face play-off certainties Warrington Rylands on the final day (the sides could potentially meet in a play-off final 10 days later, while Lancaster host already relegated Stocksbridge Park Steels.