Gainsborough Trinity
1 Matt Yates
2 Prosper Keto
3 Joseph West
4 Andrew Wright
5 Hayden Cann
6 Issac Rice
7 Luther Munakandafa
8 Curtis Durose
9 Clayton Donaldson
10 Liam Waldock
11 Harry Lewis
Subs.
12 George Hornshaw (for 11, 71 mins)
14 Mo Gashi (for 10, 48 mins)
15 Bailey Conway
16 Fraser Preston (for 2, 66 mins)
17 Josh Fraiwold
FC United of Manchester
1 Dan Lavercombe
2 Ethen Vaughan
3 Guy Hall
4 Michael Donohue
5 Adam Dodd
6 Curtis Jones
7 Sandro Da Costa
8 Mike Potts
9 Max Cane
10 Keane Barugh
11 Keegan Hartley
Subs.
15 Matt Van Wyk
16 Jan Palinkas
12 Dontai Gabidon (for 11, 71 mins)
13 Dimeji Willan (for 1, 90 mins)
14 Taisu 'Faz' Sangare (for 7, 57 mins)
FC United finish league campaign with victory at Gainsborough Trinity
FC United of Manchester signed off their Pitching In Northern Premier League season in style on Saturday, with an assured 2-1 win at Gainsborough Trinity in front of a bumper crowd of 1,873 supporters.
A smash-and-grab first half goal from striker Max Cane, coupled with a second half header from Michael Donohue, were enough to ensure that the Red side left Lincolnshire with all three league points.
The afternoon also provided FC United supporters and staff a chance to bid farewell to popular goalkeeper Dan Lavercombe, who announced that Saturday's game would be his last league match for the club, as he plans to leave the North West and head back to his native Torquay at the end of the season.
As the two sides lined up for kick off, Gainsborough did so in the knowledge that they had already secured a spot in this season's league play offs. However, it was the away side who had the best of the early exchanges, starting the game on the front foot, and taking an early lead just seven minutes into the game when forward Max Cane was quick to capitalise on an error from goalkeeper Matt Yates. The keeper had failed to properly clear a long ball and, under pressure from FC forward Sandro Da Costa, kicked the ball directly off the attacker's body, only for it to ricochet into the path of Cain who prodded home for the afternoon's opening goal.
FC United very nearly doubled their lead just moments later, as Donohue went on a mazy midfield run, before playing a cultured ball into Cane in the penalty area. The Reds’ striker was only narrowly denied his second by a quick-thinking Yates, who rushed off his goal line to smother the ball with a brave save.
As the minutes wore on, Gainsborough saw more of the ball and began to grow into the game. After going close with an earlier strike from prolific veteran striker Clayton Donaldson, the home team soon had an equaliser through a penalty. FC United defender Ethen Vaughan had made an untidy challenge on midfielder Liam Waldock on the tip of the area, with the referee quite rightly pointing to the spot, leaving the stage set for Donaldson to step up and fire home the resultant penalty for his 22nd goal of the campaign.
The equaliser seemed to give the Holy Blues a sense of impetus, and they went close to doubling their tally twice before the break through strong efforts on goal from Harry Lewis and Curtis Durose, who both drew fine low saves from Lavercombe.
The hosts made a couple of changes at the break - possibly with an eye to Tuesday's play off game against Bamber Bridge – withdrawing Waldock & Donaldson from the field of play. The changes seemed to allow FC United more control of the game, as the visitors began playing with real attacking intent, looking to build pressure down the wings and firing a dangerous series of balls into the penalty area.
Keane Barugh soon fashioned a good chance for himself on goal, artfully cutting in from the right hand side and forcing a stop from Yates at the near post. Minutes later the talismanic Donohue gave his side a well deserved second goal of the afternoon. The midfielder was the beneficiary of a neat short corner routine between Barugh and Michael Potts, which led Barugh to send a spiralling cross to the back post for Donohue to head comfortably across the goal and into the back of the net.
As FC United continued to control much of the play, both sides continued to push for another goal. For the hosts, forward Fraser Preston was unlucky to flash a shot across goal from inside the penalty area, while at the other end Barugh, along with substitutes Dontai Gabidon & Faisu Sangare, saw efforts on goal ably repelled by Yates and the Gainsborough defence.
During the later stages came the substitution of Lavercombe, with the keeper making way for substitute Dimeji Willan, to a rapturous round of applause and chanting from FC's travelling support. After the game Reds’ manager Neil Reynolds paid tribute to Lavercombe, a player with 102 appearances for the club, saying, “there's a reason we made him our captain today.. he's the best keeper in this division and will be massive to replace”.
Man of the Match: Michael Donohue Another inspiring performance from the Reds’ midfielder, who was dubbed “the best player in the league”, last week by manager Neil Reynolds.
Report by Sam Turner
FC United finish league campaign with victory at Gainsborough Trinity
FC United of Manchester signed off their Pitching In Northern Premier League season in style on Saturday, with an assured 2-1 win at Gainsborough Trinity in front of a bumper crowd of 1,873 supporters.
A smash-and-grab first half goal from striker Max Cane, coupled with a second half header from Michael Donohue, were enough to ensure that the Red side left Lincolnshire with all three league points.
The afternoon also provided FC United supporters and staff a chance to bid farewell to popular goalkeeper Dan Lavercombe, who announced that Saturday's game would be his last league match for the club, as he plans to leave the North West and head back to his native Torquay at the end of the season.
As the two sides lined up for kick off, Gainsborough did so in the knowledge that they had already secured a spot in this season's league play offs. However, it was the away side who had the best of the early exchanges, starting the game on the front foot, and taking an early lead just seven minutes into the game when forward Max Cane was quick to capitalise on an error from goalkeeper Matt Yates. The keeper had failed to properly clear a long ball and, under pressure from FC forward Sandro Da Costa, kicked the ball directly off the attacker's body, only for it to ricochet into the path of Cain who prodded home for the afternoon's opening goal.
FC United very nearly doubled their lead just moments later, as Donohue went on a mazy midfield run, before playing a cultured ball into Cane in the penalty area. The Reds’ striker was only narrowly denied his second by a quick-thinking Yates, who rushed off his goal line to smother the ball with a brave save.
As the minutes wore on, Gainsborough saw more of the ball and began to grow into the game. After going close with an earlier strike from prolific veteran striker Clayton Donaldson, the home team soon had an equaliser through a penalty. FC United defender Ethen Vaughan had made an untidy challenge on midfielder Liam Waldock on the tip of the area, with the referee quite rightly pointing to the spot, leaving the stage set for Donaldson to step up and fire home the resultant penalty for his 22nd goal of the campaign.
The equaliser seemed to give the Holy Blues a sense of impetus, and they went close to doubling their tally twice before the break through strong efforts on goal from Harry Lewis and Curtis Durose, who both drew fine low saves from Lavercombe.
The hosts made a couple of changes at the break - possibly with an eye to Tuesday's play off game against Bamber Bridge – withdrawing Waldock & Donaldson from the field of play. The changes seemed to allow FC United more control of the game, as the visitors began playing with real attacking intent, looking to build pressure down the wings and firing a dangerous series of balls into the penalty area.
Keane Barugh soon fashioned a good chance for himself on goal, artfully cutting in from the right hand side and forcing a stop from Yates at the near post. Minutes later the talismanic Donohue gave his side a well deserved second goal of the afternoon. The midfielder was the beneficiary of a neat short corner routine between Barugh and Michael Potts, which led Barugh to send a spiralling cross to the back post for Donohue to head comfortably across the goal and into the back of the net.
As FC United continued to control much of the play, both sides continued to push for another goal. For the hosts, forward Fraser Preston was unlucky to flash a shot across goal from inside the penalty area, while at the other end Barugh, along with substitutes Dontai Gabidon & Faisu Sangare, saw efforts on goal ably repelled by Yates and the Gainsborough defence.
During the later stages came the substitution of Lavercombe, with the keeper making way for substitute Dimeji Willan, to a rapturous round of applause and chanting from FC's travelling support. After the game Reds’ manager Neil Reynolds paid tribute to Lavercombe, a player with 102 appearances for the club, saying, “there's a reason we made him our captain today.. he's the best keeper in this division and will be massive to replace”.
Man of the Match: Michael Donohue Another inspiring performance from the Reds’ midfielder, who was dubbed “the best player in the league”, last week by manager Neil Reynolds.
Report by Sam Turner
