Bromsgrove 1 King's Lynn 1
3rd October 1998
FOR the first half-an-hour of Saturday's FA Cup tie, the Linnets showed the potential they have under new boss Gary Mills.
They totally dominated the match and should have had the second round qualifying game wrapped up.
Then against the run of play Rovers equalised and, after both teams had players sent off, the match petered out to a draw.
Mills was delighted with his side's early play but disappointed with the second half. He said: "I thought we were tremendous in the first half-an-hour.
"We went out and did what football's all about. We passed it and played it around well - our movement was good.
"But it seems at the moment that teams are putting their only chances they have in the back of our net.
"I was disappointed to go in at half-time at 1-1. We could have been two or three up. And I felt the second half was disappointing. It looked like we were sitting on a 1-1.
The action came thick and fast in the first half and in injury time, Lynn - who beat Rovers in last season's FA Cup - were denied what looked a blatant penalty before Bromsgrove had Stuart Payne sent off for tripping Paul Ramsey off the ball.
Lee Gibson received a second yellow card for preventing a quick free kick to be taken to get his marching orders eight minutes into the second half and a draw became almost inevitable.
On the two red cards Mills said: "I talk about discipline and Lee Gibson let himself down on that side. We said at half time the referee may equal it out and it gave them a lift. "Their lad tripped Paul Ramsey over. It was silly but I don't think the ref had an option."
On the penalty incident, he added: "It was definitely handball. The ref said he didn't give it because Micky Nuttell pushed the lad before."
It seemed a strange excuse because the referee did not give Bromsgrove a free-kick for the alleged Nuttell push. Rovers probably wished Mr Winton had called back play as in the attack that followed the incident, the home side's Paul Moore hit a shot at Steve Lewis but, off the hall, Payne was tripping Ramsey to pick up a red card.
His dismissal brought the half to a close and it was easy to see why Mills was delighted with his team. In the 13th minute, an excellent move down the right saw Nuttell flick the ball into Julian Delicata's path. He neatly laid the ball off to Leo Cotterell who slipped Lynn into the lead to the delight of the vocal travelling supporters.
Nuttell, who led the line superbly and linked up well with Delicata, missed a golden opportunity to put Lynn further ahead.
Ramsey drilled the ball across the box. Colin Hoyle touched it into Nuttell and the big striker knocked the ball over from four yards.
He then set up Delicata and the former Fakenham forward, starting only his second match for the Linnets, hit a left foot volley that cannoned off the head of former Wolves and Birmingham defender Kevin Ashley.
Dave Puttnam drilled a left foot shot inches wide and it seemed only a matter of time before the visitor would kill their opponents off.
But the trickery of winger Moor clawed Bromsgrove back into the game. He jinked his way into the box in the 35th minute and sent in a fantastic cross that Dean Bennett met with a diving header to make it 1-1. Moore cut inside and drilled a shot at Lewis before Gibson picked up his first yellow card for a foul.
After the break, Gibson picked up his second yellow card although he thought the decision was harsh. He said: "I just stood in front of the ball so they couldn't take the free kick quickly.
"The ref didn't realise he'd booked me until one of their lads told him and he showed me the red card. Maybe, he would not have booked me if he had known. People were kicking the ball away before and after what I did."
There was only one chance of note in the second half and Lynn should have taken it. Mills' free kick was glanced on unwittingly by a defender and Delicata went in at the far post but mis-hit his shot and the ball trickled to the keeper.
Bromsgrove: Dudley, Simpson, Ullig (Ntamark 69), Ashley, Bowater, Turpin (Cooksey 60), Bennett, Dodds, Payne, Moore, Cooper. Subs (not used) Sutton, Pendleton, Petty.
Lynn: Lewis, Mills, Spearing, Fuff, Hoyle, Gibson, Cotterell, Ramsey, Nuttell, Delicata (Hardy 79), Puttnam. Subs (not used) D Roberts, G Roberts, Wright.
Referee: S Winton. MoM: Mickey Nuttell. Attendance: 708