Pitchero Non League

Matt Wilson

....momentum is with them after coming back from being 2-0 down at the Northolme against Gainsborough Trinity on Wednesday night.

The Shaymen looked to be heading out of contention when they trailed 2-0 after just 13 minutes.

A nervy visiting side went behind after 6 minutes when a free-kick was played in by Kevin Sandwith. It was knocked across the face of goal by Andrew Boyce and forced home from close range by Paul Connor.

A minute later the Shaymen were almost caught out by a long ball to Connor on the right but neither Leon Mettam nor Shaun Clarke could capitalise in the area.

Trinity did not have to wait long before doubling their lead as Connor scored a carbon copy of the first goal 7 minutes later.

Sandwith took the free-kick, Boyce played it across from the back post into the danger area and Connor finished.

Town could not get into the game at all and it could have been 3-0 after 20 minutes when Leon Mettam was poised to volley in only to be denied by Danny Lowe.

But gradually as the half wore on Halifax were starting to pull themselves together, and 2 minutes before the break they pulled a goal back when the ball broke to James Dean wide on the left with his back to goal and he did well to work a crossing opportunity, finding Lee Gregory at the far post and he fired home.

Gainsborough could have restored their two-goal advantage 9 minutes after the break when Connor was denied his hat-trick when Shaymen `keeper Simon Eastwood went down at his feet to save as he burst through.

That proved to be the home side’s last real chance and from then on the visitors were the more dominant side.

And they were back on level terms after 65 minutes when Sean Clancy put pressure on the home defence and Andrew White was forced into a hasty clearance that fell nicely for Gregory.

After that it was the Shaymen who looked the more likely to take a lead into the second leg, but after such a dreadful start, their fans in the excellent 2,380 crowd will reckon the momentum is no with their favourites.

In the other semi-final at Liberty Way, a crowd of 1,476 saw goals at either end of the game as this tie also ended all-square.

Boro caught the Lions cold when they took a lead after just 2 minutes, Danny Glover heading in.

It was a game of few chances, with Andy Holdsworth’s header to a Ciaran Toner cross and a Simon Baldry shot being the only real efforts Guiseley produced in the first half. It was just as nip and tuck after the break, with the visitors only threatening twice before their late equaliser.

Danny Boshell placed a shot just over the target in the 68th minute and skipper Simon Ainge headed a late Holdsworth corner just wide.

However, in the first minute of injury-time at the end of the game, substitute Chris Senior sent in a cross that Matt Wilson bundled in from close range.

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