King's Lynn 2 Rothwell Town 0
5th April 1999
SHAUN Keeble scored on his home debut as Lynn hit the 50-point barrier in this Doc Martens League Premier Division match.
The Linnets are virtually assured now of avoiding the drop after beating relegation-haunted Rothwell.
And player manager Gary Mills will be well satisfied with the fact that his team posted their fourth clean sheet and win in a row.
After a quiet start to the match, Linnets' first chance came alter 20 minutes when a lovely Dave Puttnam one-two with Micky Nuttell rebounded off a defender and hit Mark Turner, but the ball spun to safety.
Puttnam's turn and shot was tipped around the post by former Wisbech keeper John Hughes. On the half-hour Gary Mills 20-yard shot crept through the Bones' defence and was turned around for a corner.
From this Turner's shot cannoned into defender Paul Wagstaff's midriff right on the line. Man-of-the-match Turner followed up with a header which flew inches wide.
In the first minute of the second half Rothwell's Steve Coates hit the post - but Lynn soon responded.
Tony Spearing crossed from the left, Dave Puttnam headed on and Turner at the far post headed home into the opposite corner.
Lynn then experienced their biggest scare when Moroccan international keeper Chuck Martini had to advance smartly to thwart Michael Moore, who pushed the ball wide with four Lynn defenders on the line.
Keeble, the £4,000 signing from neighbours Wisbech Town, came on to rapturous applause and soon made his mark. A cross shot was blocked and the loose ball just eluded Puttnam.
Keeble made amends by latching on to a Lee Wilson pass, shrugging off Andy Bullimore, and after his shot was well saved, Keeble made no mistake the second time. Lynn: Martini, Robinson, Spearing, Fuff, Clarke, Mills (Cotterell), Turner, Goss, Nuttell (Keeble), Wilson (McGinty), Puttnam.
Rothwell: Hughes, Foley, Spencer, Brown, Wagstaff, Bullimore, Wilkes, Dunlop, Moore, Coates, Lord (subs McDonald, Stephens, Meads).
| MATCH STATISTICS | Shots on Target | Shots off Target | Corners | Caught Offside | Free kicks Conceded |
Bookings |
| Lynn | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 15 | Wilson (35) |
| Rothwell | 2 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 10 | Bullimore (60) Coates (64) |