Hednesford Town were left searching for their first home victory of the season after a goal in each half from Gainsborough Trinity saw the visitors leave Keys Park with all three points.
It was Hednesford who started the better of the two sides and Preston North End loan star Mike Howard stung the palms of the Trinity goalkeeper Jon Stewart in the seventh minute before another loan man, Dan Cockerline, saw a header saved four minutes later.
Gainsborough went close in the 17th minute when Ashley Worsfold hit the post before Cockerline fired over the crossbar at the other end after good football by the Pitmen had helped tee the striker up.
Trinity almost made a breakthrough in the 36th minute only for Charlie Gatter and Stefan Galinski to make two fine blocks from efforts inside the penalty area from efforts that looked to be heading towards goal.
The visitors would take the lead two minutes later though when a freekick caught everyone out, despite offside appeals from the home side, and although Worsfold’s first effort hit the post the striker fired home his second from a yard out.
HT: 0-1
Two minutes into the second half Hednesford appealed for a penalty when a throw-in into the penalty area was punched clear by a defender – but the offence went unnoticed.
In the 52nd minute the ball fell into the path of Worsfold but the striker saw his effort turned over the crossbar by goalkeeper Josef Bursik.
Two minutes later the ball was in the back of the net but Alex Byrne was adjudged to have been in an offside position as he swept home.
A big chance fell the way of Hednesford in the 71st minute when Callam Mendez-Jones fizzed in an effort that was only half cleared; however Galinski couldn’t get any proper contact on the ball as it dribbled wide.
The defender was in the thick of the action again 10 minutes later when, after winning a flick-on, the ball fell to him kindly but he blazed his effort well over the crossbar.
Despite these chances it would be Trinity who would strike next when Alex Simmons broke clear in the second minute of stoppage time before firing a shot into the roof of the net from a narrow angle.
Just when the game seemed over Hednesford pulled a goal back when a cross into the box from Jed Davies was palmed into his own net by Stewart while under pressure from Mikey Nelson.
Although Hednesford had a freekick late on the visitors were able to defend it and leave the Pitmen to concentrate on Monday’s game at Farsley Celtic.
Hednesford Town: Bursik, Mendez-Jones, Griffiths, Fitzpatrick, Galinski, Gatter, Dodd (Nelson 71), Craddock (Davies 64), Cockerline, Howard (Grimshaw 57), Curley
Subs not used: Fox, Edge
Gainsborough Trinity: Stewart, Austin, Gordon, Russell, Maguire, Evans, Byrne, King, Worsfold (Hannah 60), Reeves (Clarke 75), Simmons
Subs not used: Hough, Wilson
Attendance: 344
