It’s still all to play for, says Gainsborough Trinity boss Liam King after first defeat

Gainsborough Trinity’s play-off hopes took a knock when Marine snatched a 1-0 win at the Northolme with a real smash and grab raid.

But after the visitors’ substitute, James Murray, beat Joe Green for the only goal of the game just after the hour mark to end King’s four-match winning run, the rookie manager remained defiant.

“We have had a great run and now it is time to restart that again next week,” he said “It is still all to play for.”

King said his side had probably played the most football under his leadership but were unable to find a killer touch in front of goal.

“We were very unlucky. We created a lot of chances but it would not go in for us.

“Those games are dangerous because it only takes the other team to go down the other end and nick a goal (and you have lost).

“That’s what they did to us, but that’s football.

“We were the better side but that’s how football works — you have to stay switched on all the time.

“That little lapse in concentration killed us.

“For the first 60 minutes I was the most relaxed I had been. There looked like there would only be one winner.

“Marine got nowhere near our 18-yard box. But at the end of the day it is a loss.”

King refused to be downbeat or critical of his players after the defeat, which left Trinity fifth, in the final play-off place and two points clear of Buxton.

He said: “There were so many goalmouth scrambles.

“We probably played the most football we have done since I took over.

“But it was an unlucky game. The only disappointing thing for me, which I have said to the lads, was the last 10 minutes.

“Sometimes you have got to keep you shape and hope the goal comes. We didn’t do that.

“That was the first we had been behind since I took charge. I was a little bit disappointed with how the lads reacted.

“But credit to the lads. We have had a good run. If someone had said (when I took over) that after five games in charge I would have won four, I would have snapped their hand off.”

King remained defiant, saying the results under his leadership — four wins and a one defeat — had been good.

“At the end of the day that is good form,” he added.

“It is not the end of the world (to lose a match).

“It was a big ask to win every game until the end of the season.

“It is an opportunity missed and everybody knows that in the dressing room.

“They are disappointed, but it is how we move on (that is important).”