King's Lynn 2 Corby Town 2
4th November 1972
An amazing recovery by Lynn in which they snatched a Southern League point out of thin air was missed by many fans as they drifted away from the Walks on Saturday.
With 88 minutes gone and highly-placed Corby comfortably leading by two goals, it all seemed over for the Linnets.
Then came four fantastic minutes which started when David Brooks scored his first goal of the season and ended in injury time when Trevor Painter put away his fourth penalty to level the match.
No wonder the supporters who stayed until the end joined in the wild celebrations of the players. Corby, on the other hand were left feeling pretty sick for it was the second year in succession they have seen a two-goal lead pulled back by Lynn.
But in this game of twists and turns, the Steelmen could have no grumbles even though they were so close to victory. There were doubts surrounding their two goals and for long periods they were pushed back by the eager Linnets.
In he first half Lynn turned in their most attractive attacking football of the season. Wave after wave of flowing moves flooded into the Corby half and if Lynn had finished the half three or four goals ahead it would not have been an injustice, instead they went in a goal down.
There was no mistaking Lynn's determined approach and they quickly and efficiently took a firm grip on the game.
There was good running on and off the ball and the Corby defence looked punch-drunk under some sustained pressure. Brooks was inches away from connecting with David Clarke's corner, then Mick Bloxham cleverly beat Neil Burns on the by-line and his low cross flashed across the face of the goal only needing a touch to send it in.
After 15 minutes Tony Woolmer turned quickly to hook in a close range shot which Mike Blick and his goalkeeper Dave Tennant together scrambled off the line.
Woolmer was a live-wire in the Lynn attack and when Corby were watching him closely as another centre curled into the danger area, they left a gap for Mick Wr ight to move in with a diving header just off target.
Shots from Painter, Lindsay and a well controlled swerving effort from Brooks worried Tennant and the Corby keeper did not know much about a 35th minute shot when Wright was perfectly put through by Bloxham which bounced off his legs. Minutes later he finger-tipped a superb Wright header over the bar.
Then after doing everything but score, Lynn saw Corby go into the lead in the 43rd minute. A throw-in and then a free-kick awarded to Corby both seemed questionable, but there was no doubt about the way Alex Dawson headed Steve Holders centre firmly into the corner of the net.
Steel, it seemed, was given little cover for the Lynn defence were watching Keith Rudd closely and Dawson was left to his own devices.
Rudd was usually tightly marked and he had few chances to show the form that brought him 30 goals for Lynn last season.
In the second half when Lynn were beginning to lose confidence as they failed to break through,. Rudd came more into it to mid-field. Lynn, of course, were leaving more space behind them as they pushed up, but for all their work only a shot from Brooks which Tennant scrambled away off the line was close, to a goal.
Rudd was then on hand to pop in Corby's second in the 80th minute. There was a definite suspicion of offside when he walked the ball in from Dawson's header, but the linesman kept his flag down.
Lynn instantly brought on substitute Dominic McCullum in attack, the consistent Nigel Smith making way for the switch.
It was still one-way traffic with Corby hanging on until the 88th minute. The shot from Brooks in another Lynn attack came from the Lynn of the area and went over Tennent and dipped just under the bar.
This goal seemed to have come too late for Lynn and Spaulding referee Mr 1. C. Colas had taken the game into the second minute of injury time when the second shock came for Corby.
Woolmer and Blick were involved in a chase for a long ball down the middle. There was some pushing and shoving and Mr Coles ruled that Blick was the offender, awarding a penalty which led to lengthy protests by Corby.
Painter calmly placed his shot to the right of the goal and Tennant committed himself to going the other way. Lynn: Steel; Radcliffe, Kerr, Painter, Smith (sub McCullum, 80), Wright , Brooks, Lindsay, Woolmer, Bloxham, Clarke, Corby: Tennant; Burns, M. Walpole, Davies, Blick, R. Walpole, Holder, McGowan Dawson, Rudd, Clark (Sub Fawcett). Attendance: 630.