Leek Town 1 King's Lynn 1
1st December 2012
King's Lynn Town gained a useful point, which could prove crucial in the final reckoning come the end of their EvoStik League campaign.
Despite shipping a late equaliser to Tim Grice, Linnets manager Gary Setchell was more than satisfied with a share of the spoils in Staffordshire.
Setchell said: "It was a difficult game and I think it could be a handy point come the end of the year because I don't think many teams will relish coming here.
"This was a tough place to come. They've got a lot of games to catch up - they lost in the play-off final last year - and they feel they are better side this time around."
Setchell admitted that his side had been second best for long periods at Harrison Park, in a game which the hosts dominated for much of the afternoon in terms of chances created.
Setchell said: "On the balance of play it would have been a smash and grab had we got all three points if I'm being honest.
"But you just feel for the players for the amount of effort and commitment they put in. They worked their socks off.
"Losing Dunkley early was a blow because of the way we had to play on Saturday
"We got the goal and you think, 'with these boys they're going to hang on'.
"And we hung on, and we hung on, and we dogged in and we were trying to hit them on the counter attack with Spriggsy and I think a point was a fair result.
"I can sometimes handle it if we don't get all three points if the players have given me everything they've got.
"Certainly, second half, they did that and they couldn't have done any more.
"Even their goal came about after we put two great blocks in and the third fell to their bloke who smashed it home."
The Linnets were indebted to goalkeeper Danny Gay, who pulled off some crucial saves with the score goalless on a bitterly cold afternoon.
Gay made two good saves early on to deny both Dan Shelley and Tim Grice.
However his best save of all came eight minutes later when he brilliantly clawed away a powerful Matt Haddrell header that looked destined for the back of the net.
Despite the Blues having the better of the half, it was the Linnets who went into the break in front.
The goal came somewhat against the run of play, courtesy of a 43rd minute penalty from Steve Spriggs after substitute Jason Turner had been upended in the penalty box in a rare attack.
The Linnets were a lot better after the interval with Spriggs being their main threat on the break.
Spriggs almost won it for Lynn in what would have been a smash-and-grab winner, which was disallowed.
Peter Wright, Matt Bell and Tom Urwin all went close for the hosts before the equaliser finally arrived nine minutes from time when Grice lashed home a loose ball home from close range.
Subs: Mulready.
Scorer: Spriggs 43 (pen). Booked: Watson.
Leek: Lloyd-Weston, Sanders, Smith, Thomas, Bell, Hall, Urwin, Shelley, Grice, Haddrell (Wright 44), Danylyk
Subs: Wright, Cope, A. Roberts, D. Roberts.
Scorer: Grice 81
Attendance: 282 Report by permission of the Lynn News