TRAFFORD kick-started their season with a first win at the First Point Shawe View Stadium on Saturday, beating Goole 2-1.

The visitors had escaped relegation from Evo-Stik North last season with a last-minute reprieve and their form this season suggests they may well be in the mix again.

The game started brightly with Trafford attacking down the flanks, but the Goole defence were looking comfortable.

Trafford were patient in their build-up play, increasingly using their pace to put pressure on Goole’s full-backs.

Louis Corrigan created numerous chances from left-back, linking up well with Jason St Juste.

Goole’s frustration began to show, giving away a number of free kicks in dangerous places around their own box.

It was from one of these free kicks that Trafford’s breakthrough came in the 25th minute

While the attacking line was organising itself in the box, Corrigan curled the ball around the wall and beat the goalkeeper at his near post.

Trafford made it 2-0 five minutes later with a neat move down the right-hand side.

James Dean crossed to the far post where St Juste pulled it back for Michael Monaghan to tap in from two yards.

Trafford were well on top at this point and squandered opportunities that would have put the game to bed.

On 35 minutes, Aaron Burns was found down the left and a neat turn and cross was headed just wide by Dean.

Ally Brown got into the action four minutes before the break with a great burst down the right but his cross was just beyond Dean’s head.

The half ended with Corrigan and Monaghan exchanging passes and finding Burns, but his snap-shot was held by the keeper.

It was testament to Trafford’s pace and efforts down the wings that Goole replaced both full-backs at half time, changing their tactics in the process.

The substitutes had been told to push forward themselves, having the effect of nullifying the home side’s wing play.

This paid dividend for Goole and it was one of their replacements that got on the scoresheet.

Good work on the left from Marcus Edwards saw him beat Brown and a great cross to the back post was dispatched by Scott Smith.

It was Goole who now had the attacking options down the flanks and they pushed for the equaliser.

However, their enthusiasm left them open and they were still committing fouls around their own box.

Corrigan was again the supplier in the 70th minute, but Keil O’Brien was unable to connect well and headed over the bar. Both Monaghan and St Juste had given their all and were replaced with 20 minutes to go.

Trafford became more compact and with less space available in midfield the game became scrappy.

Goole were going all out for the equaliser and a free kick of their own in the 86th minute was headed just wide by Luke Foster.

It was a morale-boosting home win but Trafford suffered a setback on Tuesday night when they went down 2-1 at Prescot Cables, Dean's 90th-minute goal scant consolation.