When Gainsborough Trinity were in the EFL

During their relatively brief stay in the Football League, Gainsborough Trinity met some of the top teams in English football.  In October 1906 they entertained Nottingham Forest for the first time in the league (they had met in the FA Cup).  It was noted, ‘The Lincolnshire club have a very useful side at their command and they were strong enough to get the upper hand of the “Wolves” on Wednesday, and establish themselves well up the table.  It was a beautiful afternoon, and Forest’s visit created considerable interest, 5,000 people, which is an abnormal gate for Gainsborough, being present.’   Forest ‘had the advantage of the slope’ on a ‘very rough’ pitch and scored the opening goal.  

Gainsborough then started to play long ball, sending high balls into the box.  ‘The football was very poor on the whole, the ball being a great deal in the air.’  When there was play in midfield, it was ‘of the crudest description’.    However, the style of play clearly unsettled Forest: ‘Forest tried hard but could make little of the quick rushes of their opponents who were content to proceed by haphazard methods.’  2-1 ahead at half time, Gainsborough won 3-2.

 At Christmas 2010 Gainsborough found themselves at Stamford Bridge playing Chelsea.  Described as ‘the wooden spoonists of the Second Division’, they were spending the holiday in London with a Boxing Day match against Clapton Orient.  ‘A comparatively small crowd of not more than 12,000 people witnessed the match, which was played in dull and depressing weather.  The turf, which was much cut up, provided very heavy going.’   

The visitors had a couple of early shots on goal, but ‘this was the end of the visiting team’s enterprise.  Chelsea quite monopolised the remainder of the play.  They rained in shots from all positions and all directions, but the Gainsborough defence was as firm as a rock, and Robinson’s goalkeeping was remarkable.  He saved a dozen shots in as many minutes.’ 

With Robinson exhausted, Chelsea almost scored, but a defender was able to clear off the line.  Despite receiving a leg injury, Robinson was ‘quite invincible’.  With the score 0-0 at half time, Robinson ‘received an ovation for his splendid goalkeeping.’  However, his injury troubled him more in the second half and Chelsea won 3-0.

Back in the Midland League at the end of the First World War, Gainsborough decided that wartime experience was the key to success: ‘It is questionable whether any club will number more soldier players in its ranks during the coming season than Gainsborough Trinity.   Recognising that football form is just now something of an unknown quantity, the executive have decided to pin their faith largely to local players of known cleverness prior to enlistment, but whom Army training and Army football has developed almost out of recognition.   One thing is certain: Trinity will be able to put down a fast and tricky forward line.  Gainsborough has always been known for its team-building capability.’

Three keepers had been hired with the favourite possibly being A. Pashley who ‘played in goal for the Royal Engineers and was one of the team that won the Army Cup.’  At full back Harry Hallam was an old Trinity player ‘who was soon snapped up by the Royal Artillery crack team for whom he did good work.’   None of the recruited players had been in the Navy, which offered fewer opportunities for football, but half back S Fenton had played for the Birmingham R.A.F. team.

Another 0-1 defeat late in the game

As today's game against Gainsborough Trinity at the New Windmill Ground stuttered to a close and I dusted down my 'bore draw' headline, one wag in the stand said, 'can we hang on for a 0-0?' Within a minute or two the inevitable happened and our bottom of the table opposition had won the game with a single goal. We weren't very good, they weren't very good, but they seized their chance. Tony Breeden had kept us into the game up to then with two great saves, but there was nothing he could do in the 87th minute as the ball came back off the post and was put in the back of net with a fierce shot.

We didn't look at all comfortable in the opening part of the first half. The visitors were capable of a turn of speed and broke through more than once. The ball was hoofed up in the air far too much and if it hadn't been for some great defensive work by Paul McCone we could have been in more trouble.

In the last twenty minutes or so of the half we did start to play more coherently. Lee Chilton advanced on goal and put in a strong shot and it is to the credit of Trinity keeper Phil Barnes that he was able to tip it over. Elliot Sandy put in a good header on 35 minutes that hit the post and it is by such thin margins that games are decided.

Claran Toner for Trinity suffered a nasty cut above the eye and had to be helped off the pitch just before half time.

We showed no real signs of making a decisive breakthrough in the second half and Stefan Moore was withdrawn in favour of Ricky Johnson. As Simon Russell set up a good attack for Trinity, Breeden had to make a great save. After some casual defending on our part, the visitors had another chance and put the ball just wide. Lee Moore was withdrawn in favour of Alex Taylor. Lee Chilton looked the most lively player, although not all his efforts were effective, but did hit the post. Breeden had to make another excellent save.

In the four minutes added on, new acquisition Will Green was brought to replace Daly, who still look affected by the tonsillitis referred to in the programme but it was too late for the substitution to have any effect.

We are, of course, badly hit by injuries as the presence of James Husband on the bench showed. But we have to try and score some goals, only two in six games now.

I thought that referee Andy Hendley controlled the game well. For most of the crowd of 561, however, the overall feeling was one of frustration, bordering on despair. This was one of the least entertaining games I have seen at Harbury Lane for quite some time. Brakes are now second from bottom above Oxford City.