Race to the finish

STEVE Housham admits the play-off race will go down to the final day of the season, after Droylsden ended Trinity’s four-match winning streak.

Three points from two Easter weekend games saw Trinity relinquish third in the Blue Square North and Housham’s men are clinging onto the final play-off position in fifth.

The Trinity boss said the play-off picture could have looked rosier had it not been for Michael Leary’s first half sending off.

The former Grimsby midfielder was dismissed in the 26th minute for a dubious two-footed tackle on Droylsden’s Nat Kerr.

But the visitors struggled to make their numerical advantage count and Darryn Stamp’s header from Kevin Sandwith’s free-kick gave Housham’s men an unlikely lead before the break.

Dale Johnson equalised within a couple of minutes for the Bloods and Patrick Lacey’s cool finish 20 minutes from time completed the turnaround.

“They had three shots and scored two goals,” said Housham. “But the chances we’ve had even with 10 men we had to put away and we didn’t.

“I feel sorry for Lears because from where I was, I didn’t think it was a bad tackle. The referee didn’t take the conditions into account and when six players from the opposition team are all around him, he wasn’t strong enough.”

Housham believes two more wins will cement a play-off spot.

He told the Standard’s Mikey Mumford: “It’s going to go down to the final game, but we’re just concentrating on the next one, we need a victory and hopefully then we can come here against Worcester and do it in front of our fans.”

“Two wins should do it but I’ve told them we want three wins.” And the boss is looking forward to taking his Blues side to the home of their near neighbours Boston on Saturday.

“It’s going to be a hard game, because we are going to finish higher out of the county rivals and they are going to be disappointed with that,” he said.

“They will want to stop us from getting in the play-offs, it’s a derby game but we can’t get over excited about it and we need to work hard.”

“I’ve not achieved anything at this club just yet, we’re not in the play-offs and we haven’t got medals on the table and until we do that I haven’t achieved.”

Before Easter Monday’s game, club Chairman Peter Swann had promised to give fans free coach travel to Boston if they attended the Droylsden game and witnessed a Trinity victory.

The result went against Trinity, but Swann has still vowed to subsidise the cost of travel for any supporters wishing to attend the fixture at York Street this Saturday.

Trinity: White; Roma, Sandwith, Waterfall, Boyce, Leary, D’Laryea, R. Williams (Godden 72), Kendall, Stamp (Mettam 58), Holden (Clarke 46). Subs (not used): Connor; J. Williams.

Droylsden: St Louis-Hamilton; Brown, Holden, Kerr, Langford, Sheridan, Lacey, Hall (Peyton 90), Johnson, Gardner (Nsangou 90), Logan. Subs (not used): McKenzie; Owens, Phillips.

Referee: Wayne Porter.

Assistants: Alan Marshall, William Hardie.

Attendance: 629.

Goals: Stamp 41; Johnson 43, Lacey 69.

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