King's Lynn 2 Gloucester City 0
5th September 1998
A GLORIOUS goal from Lee Gibson helped inspire Lynn to their first win of the campaign.
The 20-year-old, with just 35 minutes of Linnets football behind him after coming off the bench against Halesowen, made an early claim for goal of the season.
A 30 yard pile-driver after a blocked free-kick stunned unbeaten Gloucester midway through the second half.
Worrell Sterling's injury time effort ended the Linnets' run of ten Premier Division games without a win and they go to Bromsgrove tonight with renewed confidence.
It left manager Tony Spearing 'thrilled to bits'.
"I'm delighted, it was well overdue and fully deserved," he said of his first win.
"We've threatened to do it. We stopped them playing and created all the chances.
"Now I want to take it on, I don't want the players to stand still. The Bromsgrove game will show how far they've come, it'll be a battle and a half."
Of Gibson's effort, he said: "It was a great goal."
The former Lincoln City midfielder added: "I just took a touch and struck it.
"It's my first full game for a long time as I was injured pre-season. I'm glad to get through it."
Lynn passed well on a sticky surface while Duncan Roberts, replacing the injured Sieve Lewis, had a good game between the posts.
Gibson had already gone close in a goalless first half when his shot from a Sterling cross and Micky Nuttell lay-off was blocked on the six yard line.
This trio and Ian Stringfellow, who could have had a hat-trick in the first period. continued to give Gloucester problems all afternoon.
In the first minute after the break the Tigers' Adie Mings wasted a gilt-edged chance from an unmarked header.
Sterling blazed over before earning a free-kick which Stringfellow blasted against the wall.
It fell nicely to Gibson on the right, who powered it past Steve Mokler into the opposite corner.
Gloucester created much pressure in the last 20 minutes with numerous corners but a flowing move nearly increased the hosts' advantage.
Sub Matthew Wright's free-kick was headed across by Nuttell and another sub Glyn Roberts couldn't turn it in.
However Coren Hardy came on late and a cheeky back-heel released Stringfellow on the left.
His centre was nodded in at the far post by Sterling, with the assistant referee confirming it had gone
over the line.
Sterling added modestly of his goal: "I'm just part of the team and happy to get the win.
"It's nice to get the first win at home, it's what we deserve. Hopefully we can now go on a run."
Lynn: G Roberts, Cotterell, Puttnam (Wright 62), Fuff, Hoyle, Spearing, Gibson (Hardy 85), Nuttell, Oakes (G Roberts 78), Stringfellow.
Gloucester City: Mokler, Holloway, G Thorne, Wyatt, Kemp, Fergusson, Webb, Burns (Molloy 90), Keeling (Mainwaring 40) Mings (Hoskins 73), Hemmings.
MATCH
STATISTICS | Shots on
Target | Shots off
Target | Corners | Caught
Offside | Free kicks
Conceded |
Bookings |
Lynn | 4 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 15 |
Cotterell (53, foul)
Gibson (56 dissent)
Spearing (74, professional foul) |
Gloucester | 3 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 18 |
Burns
(38 shirt pulling) |
Lynn News Man of the Match - Lee Gibson