Lynn 6 Histon 1

LYNN were never extended in overcoming the first obstacle in this season's F.A. Cup trail at the Walks on Saturday. The Spartan League amateurs, Histon, were no match for the strong all-professional Linnets and they can count themselves lucky to have escaped a much heavier defeat.
Against the somewhat unorthodox style of the Histon team, which often resulted in them packing the penalty area in force, Lynn forwards found themselves being tackled by two or more opponents at a time. Many of their best intentioned moves collapsed through sheer weight of numbers stacked against them.
This may well have been one of the reasons for some alarmingly erratic shooting by most of the Lynn attackers. Lynn had the edge in ideas, ball control and speed yet so frequently they finished off goal-stamped moves with shots which steeled just wide of, or over the goal.
Another very good reason why Lynn did not more than double their score was the excellent display given by Histon goalkeeper M. Rolph.
He was one of the busiest men on the field and acquitted himself remarkably well,
particularly during the second half when he made some truly amazing saves
A stalwart in their defence was centre-half H. Wombwell who, aided and abetted by as many of his colleagues as could close in with him, kept Edwards tied down in the middle. At half-back they were well served by A. Douglas who performed a dual role of wing half and inside forward for two-thirds of the game, after R Denson had been taken to hospital for examination following a collision with Capewell.
M Diver was a lively winger to whom can be credited their best non-scoring effort -
a flashing cross-drive which beat Capewell but re-bounded from the right-hand post.
M. THURSTON was a great trier and to him went the satisfaction of netting Histon's consolation goal two minutes from time.
Johnny Downie, the Lynn skipper, was invariably the brains behind Lynn's almost incessant onslaughts, and he and Dryburgh formed a tremendously dangerous wing.

It was DOWNIE who gave Lynn the lead after six minutes when he beat Rolph with a hard drive which moved away from the diving goal- keeper and went in off a post. HARRISON added No 2 seven minutes later after just previously cracking the ball against the underside of the bar. Moving on to a discreet lob from Edwards, he volleyed the ball in.
It was all Lynn by now and goals seemed imminent at almost any moment, yet supporters had to wait until the last few seconds of the first halt for the next.
It came from a right wing move. Murray moved down the wing, cut in and flashed
the ball low across goal. Rolph could not get his hands to and HARRISON had only to turn it in.
Histon, though reduced to ten men, continued to fight n gallantly but Lynn were well in command and in the 53rd minute ROBINSON scored a good fourth goal with a deceptive lob shot.
Lynn continued to waste further chances and Rolph to make fine saves, particularly from two efforts by Harrison and from a good shot from Bunn.
EDWARDS tried his harden to get a crack at goal, but he often had to rely on his own efforts, which invariably meant attempting to beat three or four defenders. It was therefore due reward
when he notched Lynn's fifth with a speculative 20 yard drive. Rolph made his only mistake in misjudging the shot and he threw up his arms in despair as the ball flashed between his legs and the post.
Capewell had little to do in the Lynn goal but he did the right thing in coming out to save from A. Douglas, who got clear away from the Lynn defence.
In the 75th minute Murray. who had worked hard throughout, tried a quick shot but stubbed the ground with his foot, and HARRISON ran on to the hall to shoot it up into the roof of the net before Rolph had a chance to do anything about it.
Lynn, taking things much easier after this, were given some of their most anxious momentss towards the end and few will deny Histon their late consolation goal.


Lynn: Capewell; Henderson, Bannister: Robinson, Whitaker, Bunn: Murray. Harrison, Edwards. Downie. Dryburgh
Histon: M. Rolph: R. Gautrey, E Smith: A. Douglas, H. Wombwell. R. Cousins, M. Diver, R. Smart. M. Thurston. R. Denson. E. Douglas.
Attendance: 4,920.
Report by permission of the Lynn News