Ashford 0 King's Lynn 0
7th September 2002
LYNN recorded their second league clean sheet, and no player will probably ever have an easier debut than the Linnets' new goalkeeper Dean Greygoose.Lynn skipper Glen Fuff marshalled his defence so well that the Kent side did not force a single save from Greygoose in the first half.
All Greygoose had to do for 87 minutes was pluck out a few crosses, apart from one brave plunge at the feet of Ashford substitute Simon Elliott.
However, away striker Lee Stephenson could . have secured a comfortable win for his side, but squandered three great chances when faced with free shots.
The one time he did power one on target, he was denied by a brilliant point blank save from home keeper John Whitehouse.
Both sides have made indifferent starts to the season, so maybe this game was destined to be a draw.
Most of the passions raised were born out of frustration of both side's inability to break the deadlock as much as some poor refereeing which saw seven players enter the book.
Lynn made most of the running and probably should have had the game in hand by halftime with Fuff outstanding.
The Walks outfit's best early chance came after 19 minutes when Wayne Anderson's cross shot was only parried away by Whitehouse and Carl Holmes clipped it back into the area to find Stephenson free from only a few yards out.
He met it like a rocket but Whitehouse made a stunning reflex save in a frustrating day for Stephenson.
Ten minutes later he was found again by the impressive David Staff but put it wide under pressure from Whitehouse, and Stephenson had two more great chances in the second half.
On the hour Stephenson strode clear as Ashford vainly appealed for offside only to put it wide and minutes later robbed a home player to again leave the defence standing, but once more failed to hit the target.
Frustration inevitably built up in both sides leading to a spate of needless bookings by a referee who increasingly lost the plot.
Ironically Ashford could have snatched an undeserved win right at the end when a good cross to the far post found substitute Matt Bower but he put his header into the side netting.
Whitehouse and Carl Holmes clipped it back into the area to find Stephenson free from only a few yards out.
He met it like a rocket but Whitehouse made a stunning reflex save in a frustrating day for Stephenson.
Ten minutes later he was found again by the impressive David Staff but put it wide under pressure from Whitehouse, and Stephenson had two more great chances in the second half.
On the hour Stephenson strode clear as Ashford vainly appealed for offside only to put it wide and minutes later robbed a home player to again leave the defence standing, but once more failed to hit the target.
Frustration inevitably built up in both sides leading to a spate of needless bookings by a referee who increasingly lost the plot.
Ironically Ashford could have snatched an undeserved win right at the end when a good cross to the far post found substitute Matt Bower but he put his header into the side netting.
Ashford: Whitehouse, Anderson, O'Leary, Mortley, Gibbs, Gardener (Bower 79), White (Elliott 59), Saunders, Hassett, McRobert (Stone 61), I. Ross. Subs: J. Ross.
Lynn: Greygoose, Staff, Blake, Jones, Fuff, Cowling, Anderson, Raynor, Watts (Bacon 72), Stephenson, Holmes.
Subs not used: Nobes (gk), Gowshall, Ortega, Johnson.
Referee: G. Cork. Attendance: 209.
Bookings: Lynn: Staff, Anderson. Ashford: Anderson, I Ross, Stone, Elliot, Bower
Lynn News MoM: Glen Fuff