Grantham Town 4 Trafford 3

DESPITE mounting a superb second half comeback Trafford fell to a defeat that leaves them hovering just above the relegation zone in the Evo Stik League Premier Division table.

Town took the lead in the 20th minute when Connor Johnson was allowed to run through the midfield unchallenged and slipped the ball to Scott Hellewell who drove it into the roof of the net from 10 yards.

Johnson then struck a great drive from 30 yards that was tipped round the post by Trafford’s on loan goalkeeper Ed Wilczynski but from the resultant corner Rhys Lewis bundled the ball home from just four yards to make it 2-0.

Hempenstall then cracked a magnificent free kick from 25 yards against the crossbar and on the half hour mark Andy Smart’s slack pass fell to Sam Purcicoe whose low drive was held by Wilczynski.

Three minutes later the game appeared to be as good as over when Jordan Hempenstall’s glancing header from a deep cross made it three and Trafford’s nightmare continued in the 35th minute when they wasted a left wing corner, Grantham broke away and Alex Simmons coolly slipped the ball past the advancing Wilczynski.

Trafford started the second half in a surprisingly confident mood and in the 48th minute Nia Bayunu flicked an in-swinging corner to the back post where Will Ahern arrived to head powerfully home.

However, in a rare Grantham attack, Andy Smart was adjudged to have handled but Wilcynski saved the day with a magnificent penalty save to thwart Simmons.

Three minutes later Michael Oates saw his goalbound shot cleared off the line by Purcicoe and in the 66th minute Shelton Payne made it 2-4 with a brilliant curling free kick into the top corner from 25 yards.

The visitors were playing with tremendous spirit and in the fourth minute of injury time Rory Fallon’s cross from the left was headed into the bottom corner by Michael Oates to make it 3-4.