Corby Town lost for a third time in four matches on Saturday, as they were beaten 3-1 by Lincolnshire side Gainsborough Trinity in the Blue Square Bet North at Steel Park.

Jonathan Williams smashed the visitors into the lead on the stroke of half-time, his powerful free-kick sailing past Chris Mackenzie in the 44^th minute.

They doubled they lead early in the second half, Ryan Kendall smashing the ball home following an error from James Ozmen on the edge of his own area.

Substitute Jordan Spruce, who looked lively after his introduction, snatched a goal back for Drury’s outfit in the 70^th minute.

Corby then had a great chance to complete the comeback, after Paul Malone was judged to have been fouled in the area. Former Trinity defender Paul Mayo took the resulting spot-kick, but saw his effort skew high over the crossbar.

Still pressing for an equaliser, Corby were victim to a speedy counter-attack in the dying minutes at Steel Park, with former striker Leon Mettam breaking away to steal Trinity’s third of the afternoon and seal an elusive season double over the Steelmen.

The Steelmen will feel slightly aggrieved with the scoreline, with the final result suggesting a one-sided affair; however the closely-fought contest was anything but.

Midfielder James Ozmen spurned two opportunities to catapult Corby into an early lead, but found Kenny Arthur in the Trinity goal equal to his efforts.

Lee Beeson was also guilty of missing a clear-cut chance, skewing a shot well wide after finding himself with acres of space on the right of the Trinity box.

Beeson then almost turned provider on the stroke of the half-hour mark, his perfectly pitched curling cross found Ozmen, but the midfielder’s volleyed effort was tame and he scooped it well over the crossbar.

With half-time quickly approaching, the sides seemed to be headed in for the break trapped in a deadlock, but Gainsborough’s Jonathan Williams had other ideas.

Stepping up to take a free-kick after name-sake Andy Williams was fouled on the edge of the box, he smashed the visitors into an interval lead.

That lead was quickly doubled straight after the restart, a mistake by Ozmen allowing Kevin Sandwith to roll the ball to a waiting Kendall in the Corby area. Smashing the ball into the bottom left corner, the striker punched the air as he celebrated his eighth goal of the season.

A majestic Chris Mackenzie save in the 60^th minute ensured the Steelmen remained just two down, the goalkeeper palming away a Ryan Williams half-volley seemingly destined for the bottom corner.

Corby boss Graham Drury then made three quick substitutions, in an attempt to turn the game around. His decision was quickly justified by Jordan Spruce, who managed to steer a low cross around Arthur in the 70^th minute for the Steelmen’s first of the match.

The comeback looked to be a certainty two minutes later, the referee awarding a penalty after Gavin Cowan’s foul on Malone. Much to the dismay and disbelief of the home crowd, Mayo couldn’t convert the resulting spot-kick, blasting the ball high over the crossbar.

Spruce almost made amends with a sharp shot from the edge of the area shortly afterwards, but the ball spun past the post following his drive forward from midfield.

Piling on the pressure, Corby dominated the closing stages. Ozmen saw a thirty-yard lob tipped over by Arthur, with Hall and Malone also finding the Trinity stopper difficult to beat.

As often the case, the Steelmen’s determination to edge an equaliser proved to be their undoing. With most of the Corby players in attack, Trinity sub Leon Mettam broke away from midfield and nipped the ball past Mackenzie to seal a Gainsborough victory.

Corby: Mackenzie; Gordon, Gulliver, Malone, Mayo; Beeson (sub Spruce, 59 mins), Ozmen, Towers, Hall; Rhead (sub Smith, 68 mins), Marna (sub Mullarkey, 54 mins). Subs not used: Reynolds, Hibbert.

Gainsborough: Arthur; Roma, Cowan, Waterfall, Ridley (sub Mettam, 76 mins); R Williams, J Williams, D’Laryea, Sandwith; Kendall (sub Leary, 76 mins), Connor (sub Boyce, 71 mins). Subs not used: Yates, Stamp.

Referee: Andy Hendley.

Goals: J Williams (43 mins, 0-1), Kendall (46 mins, 0-2), Spruce (70 mins, 1-2), Mettam (90 mins, 1-3).

Attendance: 553.