Gainsborough Trinity 3 AFC Telford United 2 - Report and pictures

Their disappointment was compounded by a straight red card on 75 minutes for defender Ross White, who was captain in the absence of Shane Sutton and John Marsden.

Unable to field John Marsden due to injury, a youthful Bucks side looked even more callow in the face of Trinity’s height and strength, and they struggled to cope with in the early stages.

An aerial bombardment of free-kicks and corners saw them concede on nine minutes; no-one took responsibility at a corner and home defender Michael Jacklin turned the ball into the roof of the net at the far post.

With their tails up, Trinity went looking for a second; they had a goal disallowed for offside from another free-kick on 10 minutes, and at that point the Bucks were rocking.

Aaron Simpson was booked, but Rob Edwards side dug in and started to claw their way back slowly.

Trinity’s defence began to creak, and on 34 minutes they gifted the Bucks an equaliser.

Marcus Dinanga chased a ball on the left, Trinity stood still and the forward squared for the unmarked Elliot Newby to turn it into an unguarded net.

Better was to follow. In two minutes of added time at the end of the half, Jordan Lussey took advantage of more lax defending to shoot low past home keeper Henrich Ravas from 20 yards, just inside his right post.

From looking as though they could be in big trouble, the Bucks led at the break.

Edwards admitted that despite being pleased with that, his half-time message remained the same; don’t concede set-piece opportunities. His calls went unheeded.

Within five minutes of the restart, the Bucks didn’t deal with a long throw from the left by Josh Lacey, and as the ball bounced up, home striker Bradley Wells stole in behind Connor Johnson to nod home past Singh.

The Bucks went through a spell earlier in the season where they were conceding, and then conceding again shortly after.

It seemed they’d eradicated this from their game, but on 55 minutes it returned with a vengeance.

Matty Taylor’s free-kick wasn’t dealt with, and with no-one in a red shirt claiming the loose ball amongst the chaos, Jacklin poked home his second goal of the evening.

The Bucks were on the retreat once more, but they stuck to their guns and tried to play their way back into the game, rather than play more directly, which would have suited Trinity’s giant back four.

Just as they seemed set to mount a late charge, Ross White’s late challenge on Tom Davie, a poor tackle not helped by the conditions, saw him sent off on 75 minutes, a straight red card.

Midfielder Jonathan Royle took the armband, but with just ten men there was to be no way back, despite their best efforts.

Anthony Dwyer came on as a substitute, but the combination of Newby on the right and Dwyer on the left, which had worked on Saturday at North Ferriby, couldn’t fashion any clear chances.

In fact, it needed Singh to keep them in it, making a terrific double save to deny Trinity’s Craig King, a former Buck, from close range.

A late appeal for a penalty was half-hearted at best, and at the final whistle the home side celebrated a hard-earned win.

The Bucks showed flashes of their exciting football, but that Achilles heel of defending set-pieces needs to be addressed quickly, or their up-and- down form will continue.

Teams

Bucks: Singh, Simpson (McGrory 82), Wilson, Johnson, White, Royle, Murphy, Cowans, Dinanga, Lussey (Dwyer 64), Newby.

Unused subs: Hayden, Marsh, Martinez.

Scorers: Newby (34), Lussey (45).

Bookings: Simpson, Royle

Dismissals: White

Gainsborough Trinity: Ravas, Lacey, Taylor, Clarke, Stainfield, Jacklin, King, Richards (Wafula 87), Wells (Simmons 79), Worsfold (Jarman 77), Davie.

Unused subs: Evans, Hare.

Scorers: Jacklin (9),(55); Wells (50).

Bookings:

Referee: Martin Woods.

Assistants: Paul Ince, Kieron Salmons.

Attendance: 412