Winsford Utd 1 Gainsborough Trinity 2

WINSFORD United have to start picking up points soon, but on Saturday they certainly deserved one.

If Lee Jones' stunning late shot sneaked into the corner instead of bouncing clear off the post, things wouldn't have looked quite so gloomy at the final whistle.

The big striker's 25-yard drive was in all the way but when it's not going for you, it's not going for you.

But this wasn't a Blyth Spartans repeat, it wasn't a pasting, and it wasn't even an embarrassment. But it was a defeat and every game at Barton Stadium this season has brought one.

Going ahead as early as the eighth minute should have been a perfect springboard. New man Paul Pomford tackled a bemused Ian Gore and swept the ball past Steve Curry with his left foot.

However, United have found it impossible to hold on to leads this season and just five minutes later, Gainsborough were back in it through a low shot inside the near post by Simon Drayton.

Despite Trinity's defenders scrambling a Mike Turner header off the line, the rest of the half was very much theirs as they had a string of opportunities to go ahead.

The best of these came when Drayton nicked the ball past Chris Knowles on the edge of the area to leave himself an open goal. However, the striker couldn't add to his tally as his scufffed shot was gathered by the recovering keeper.

The break should have given Blues the time to recover their composure, but this appeared to stretch to the point of staying in the changing rooms as Gainsborough restored their lead three minutes into the second half.

Nobody picked up lively sub John Reed as he gathered a quick free-kick and swept in a cross which Karl Fothergill steered in from close range.

One lapse and the game was lost. Although Knowles had to make further saves to keep the score down, Blues' pressure in the last 15 minutes could, on another day, easily have paid off, particularly for the hard-working Carwyn Williams and the unlucky Jones.

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