Gainsborough 0 Town 1 - Report and pictures

Town reached the fourth round of the Capital One Cup last season and beat Blackburn away in it this term.

Again they dominated possession and pretty much controlled the tie to deserve their place in the hat for the second round.

Gainsborough Trinity (4-3-3): Budtz; Lacy, Roma, Picton, Brogan; Binns (Bignall 76), D'Laryea, Russell; Drury (Yates 83), Newsham (Stamp 82), Jarman.

Subs not used: Davis, Rigby, Benrose, Hedge (gk).

Shrewsbury Town (4-3-3): Leutweiler 7 Smith 7, Gerrard 7, Whitbread 6, Sadler 7; BLACK 7, Cole 6 (McAlinden 74, 6), Ogogo 6; Clark 5 (Vernon 61, 6), Collins 7, Brown 5 (Whalley HT, 6).

Subs not used: Patterson, Barnett, Lawrence, Rowley (gk).

Referee: Darren Bond.

There were 70 places between the teams, but in the end, all that separated the sides at the Martin and Co Arena was James Collins's 70th-minute winner.

Substitute Shaun Whalley hit the bar at the death and Stephen Brogan fired just wide, in one of the isolated chances Gainsborough had.

But Town did enough and Trinity, who hit the post through Marc Newsham at the end of the first-half, didn't quite do enough to cause an upset.

Mellon made five changes to the side beaten 2-0 at Port Vale eight days ago.

Full debutant Anthony Gerrard, Mat Sadler, Ian Black, Jordan Clark and James Collins all came in.

Matt Tootle, the suspended Nathaniel Knight-Percival, captain Liam Lawrence, Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro and Tyrone Barnett dropped out. Collins was named skipper.

Shrewsbury controlled much of the play in the first-half, but couldn't find the cutting edge in front of goal.

Town started well which took the sting out of any momentum Gainsborough or the home crowd had.

The recalled Sadler in particular was getting a lot of joy down the left as he frequently overlapped to give Junior Brown an option.

It was Brown who had the first chance in the third minute, but he fired a rising effort inches over from inside the 'D.'

Two minutes later, Abu Ogogo flashed a bullet header just over the target from Clark's corner.

It was a promising start from Mellon's much-changed side, who showed no lack of confidence from their recent run of seven defeats in 10 games.

But the chances dried up somewhat and Trinity came into the game, causing the full-timers problems with two chances in three minutes.

Marc Newsham sent a powerful rising drive narrowly over, after former Kidderminster Harriers midfielder Simon Russell dispossessed Ian Black on 17.

Then Gainsborough were first to the ball again, as Nathan Jarman glanced just over at the near post from Stephen Brogan's corner.

Town recovered to force a penalty appeal somewhat out of the blue just after the midpoint of the first-half.

Captain for the day Collins appeared to be pushed over by veteran ex-Wolves goalkeeper Jan Budtz.

Referee Darren Bond was having none of it however, and Budtz reacted furiously and a few angry words were exchanged with the striker before the official intervened.

Salop remained in control territorially, and, after Ogogo curled into the arms of Budtz, they should have taken the lead seven minutes before the break.

Clark benefitted from a ricochet after taking a pass from Collins but from just inside the area, fired well over, the ball appearing to take a nasty bounce before he connected.

Town were nearly made to pay for the wasted chances, when Trinity went desperately close to scoring in first-half time added on.

Debutant Adam Drury crossed from the right and Newsham's twisting header hit the far post.

Town, with Shaun Whalley on for Brown at the break, had the first chance of the second period.

Clark, who switched to wide left with Whalley on the right, pulled the ball back for Collins, who drilled inches wide left footed.

There was little goalmouth action until Collins struck from 20 yards with a sweet, first-time left foot drive.

It kicked off the bobbly surface and ripped past Budtz, giving him no chance after being teed up by substitute Scott Vernon.

The goal seemed to suck some of the life out of Trinity and Town contained them without any trouble, until Brogan's effort in the third minute of time added on.

What a pity they have to wait 13 days before playing again, as they look to carry this win into their league campaign.