Lancaster City 1 Gainsborough Trinity 2: Visitors depart with three points

It was hoped that it might be the Dolly Blues’ day when Charlie Bailey put them in front with a beauty inside 10 minutes.

However, the visitors responded by turning around the scoreline with two goals on the cusp of half-time.

With leads having been lost against Warrington Rylands and Liversedge earlier in the week, Gainsborough’s comeback was another disappointing development on a glorious afternoon in Lancaster.

Lancaster got going quickly, scoring an early goal as they did at Liversedge in midweek.

On nine minutes, Charlie Bailey let fly from around 20 yards with an effort which flew into the corner, despite the efforts of Matt Yates in the Gainsborough goal.

It was his first goal since the opening game of the season and a welcome one given his unlucky record, firstly with injuries and then with disallowed efforts.

The early goal left Gainsborough with plenty of time to plot a course back into the game.

The presence of Clayton Donaldson was a reminder to City that he had the potential to change the game, but it was team-mates Hayden Cann and Dylan Cogill who turned it around via set-pieces.

Cann was the first to score, heading home from Fraser Preston’s corner to level matters on 42 minutes.

The second, from Cogill in first-half stoppage time, was a controversial goal as he dived for a header, which flicked off a body at the back post and flew towards the bottom corner.

Brad Carroll looked to have cleared the ball before it had crossed the line, but the referee’s assistant awarded a goal which sent Lancaster back into the dressing rooms on a sour note.

City boss Mark Fell made three changes in the first 20 minutes of the second half as opportunities came at both ends of the pitch.

Donaldson had a promising situation, only to be denied by City keeper Sam Waller, while Yate and George Hornshaw combined to deny Lancaster at the other end.

Although the Dolly Blues looked dangerous, they were unable to find the breakthrough.

Sam Bailey saw a half-volley go wide as Gainsborough found their way to victory, seeing out the remainder of the game.