Hemel Hempstead 2 King's Lynn 0
7th September 2004
SEVERAL Lynn supporters seem to have short memories.Four months ago the club were celebrating winning their first championship in 50 years.
But eight games into a new season the doubters were again out in force against the successful partnership that led Lynn to the Dr Martens Eastern Division title back in May.
Yes, Lynn had lost on their travels again, but this display didn't warrant the disturbing scenes and abuse handed out to the management team at the end of the 90 minutes.
True, a handful of senior players again didn't pull their weight, but the Linnets were far better than the woeful away performances at both Dunstable and Rugby recently.
Whatever the right or wrongs the cliche `Rome wasn't built in a day' couldn't be more apt at present as Lynn continue to find their feet in a new league.
All Lynn lacked was the punch and delivery in the final third of the field and some much-needed leadership after camping in the Hemel half for long spells in the second period.
Injury-hit Lynn, who also lost Lee Stevenson early on in the proceedings, had a perfectly good looking goal ruled out late on, and two cast-iron penalty appeals turned down by a weak referee.
The result could have been so different had the unlucky Danny Bloomfield tucked away a one-on-one with the Hemel keeper as early as the fourth minute.
But it. was Hemel who took advantage of a makeshift Linnets defence in the 18th minute when the pacey George Fowler cut Lynn's rearguard to shreds before firing past Steve Wilson.
Two minutes later, Bloomfield beat home keeper Clint Drake to the ball before the Hemel shot stopper did his best to rugby tackle the striker down but no penalty was given.
Three minutes later Bloomfield found himself in the clear again before he was chopped down on the edge of the box by Tom Neill.
Tony Battersby curled the resulting free-kick inches from the target and on the stroke of the interval Mark Angel cut inside from the left but blazed his effort wide.
After a brief spell of home pressure at the beginning of the restart, Lynn camped in the Hemel half for much of the second period.
The introduction of Robbie Harris added some energy to Lynn's attacks and Lynn did everything other than put the ball in the net.
Second penalty appeals were turned down midway through the half after Craig Fishlock was virtually manhandled to the ground.
Lynn's delivery, from corners in particular, was letting them down and it was from one of these that Hemel broke downfield in the 89th minute to add a second through Dean Palmer.
The Linnets did have the ball in the net in the dying seconds, but Harris' effort was controversially ruled out for a foul on the Hemel keeper, who spilled the ball under pressure from the striker.
Hemel: C. Drake, T. Neill, N. Leach, N. Jackson, D. West, M. Corbould, B. Highton, A. Cook, G. Fowler (J. Bent 43), B. Hammett, D. Palmer. Subs not used: P Kelly, D. Lovell and D. Grieves.
Lynn: Wilson, Jones (Harris 61), Blake, Burrows, Stone, Fishlock, Stevenson (Sutch 12), Camm, Battersby, Bloomfield (Bacon 72), Angel. Not used: Osborne, Heath-Preston.
Att: 288.
Referee: Mr S. Scholes.
| FACTfile | Shots on Target | Shots off Target | Corners | Caught Offside | Free kicks Conceded |
| Lynn | 2 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 10 |
| Hemel | 5 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 22 |
| Lynn News Man of the Match - Tony Battersby | |||||