Gainsborough Trinity leave it late to pip Shifnal Town in exciting FA Trophy tie
Gainsborough Trinity advanced to the next round of the Isuzu FA Trophy with a hard-fought 3–2 victory over Shifnal Town, edging past their battling Step 4 opponents in an exciting encounter at the Kal Group Stadium on Saturday.
It was a thriller for the neutral, but not the diehard Gainsborough faithful who would have thought their side would be out of sight by half-time only to see the visitors level out a two-goal deficit before loanee Mansfield Town sub Jakub Kruszynski snatched an 85th minute winner.
Gainsborough started on the front foot and were gifted an early opportunity to take the lead from the spot inside three minutes after Jonny Margetts was felled by Andy Wycherley.
However, the Shifnal stopper made amends, diving low to his right.
Undeterred, Trinity continued to pile on the pressure and Margetts was again presented with an excellent opportunity to open the scoring on seven minutes.
A beautifully weighted ball from Fraser Preston found him and, with Wycherley in two minds, Margetts' lofted finish ended half a yard too high.
A woeful backpass saw Josh Green present Margetts with a glorious chance.
But, with just the keeper to beat, his effort almost in slow-motion struck the inside of the post and stayed out.
Finally, on 20 minutes, the Holy Blues broke through as
Jordan Helliwell swept a pass into the feet of Lewis Butroid, who made no mistake as his low effort was neatly tucked home off the inside of the far post.
Preston then flashed an effort wide before Javelle Clarke unselfishly squared for Margetts, but he could only find the frame of Wycherley again in his way.
However, a quick Jordan Helliwell throw in led to Trinity's second. Margetts made no mistake this time as he expertly slotted home underneath Wycherley.
The second half saw a rejuvenated Shifnal come out swinging and less than five minutes into the second period, Josh Green had Town's first meaningful attempt on David Robson's goal.
Ashley Jackson and Margetts went close and then Clarke looked to guide a smart, low finish towards the bottom right hand corner, but Wycherley got down well.
Instead, Jack Loughean dragged the visitors back into the contest on 66 minutes.
Out of nothing, he gave Robson no chance, curling home from a good 25 yards out.
Just five minutes later Loughean grabbed his and Shifnal's second. Afforded too much time and space around the edge of the Trinity box, the Shrewsbury loanee made no mistake.
The visitors, only recently promoted to Step 4, should have been dead and buried, but found themselves all square.
Just when it looked like the tie might swing away from Trinity, Kruszynski replaced Butroid.
Then Sisa Tuntulwana picked out Ayres at the near post and his bullet header went the wrong side of the upright.
As both sides looked for a winner. Kruszynski did brilliantly out on the left, spinning away from Green’s challenge and showing a devastating turn of pace, before releasing Ayres.
The big, on loan Rotherham United forward forced the block from Wycherley and the ball fell kindly for Kruszynski to force the ball over the line.
The final moments were frantic, Shifnal forced a series of corners deep into added time, but the Trinity backline stood firm, swerving the need for a nerve jangling penalty shootout.