Welling United 1 King's Lynn 4

7th October 2000

LINNETS produced their best performance of the season as manager Gary Mills notched his 50th win in charge in style.
Every player contributed to a slick display of counterattacking. Mills' plan of playing two wide men worked, while Jamie March slotted in at left-back perfectly after being an injury doubt.
In continual rain the game hinged on two red cards. When Welling's Tony Dolby took an early bath, Lynn took advantage to score, but at 3-1 when Dave Robinson was sent off for the fifth time in Lynn colours for deliberate handball, the hosts missed a penalty.
"It was the best performance of the season and one of the best since I've been at the club," enthused Mills.
"We could have 5-0 up at half-time. We won't sit on it and we've got a week's training. At times the ability was magnificent, the way we were switching the ball.
"I hope it's a turning point. The last few weeks the players have let themselves down and we had a meeting for three-quarters of an hour on Thursday.
"Whether they are in the comfort zone or going through the motions, I said they either do it or they leave the club."
As a result Craig Clark has been put on the transfer list.
New midfielder Adie Hayes (23), who on Friday was signed for £2,000 from Boston until the end of the season, marked his debut with a fine display and a goal. The transfer fee was paid by a business associate of assistant Darren Gee.
"The new man was tremendous, the way he gets up and down, the talking he does. You don't get any better debuts than that," Mills added Lynn were the first to strike midway through the half when Dolby brought down Tommy Wright in the 'D' of the penalty area and was sent off for a professional foul.
Following an intricate freekick routine, Mills blasted the ball through a sea of legs into the corner of the net. Lynn had a brilliant spell ten minutes before half-time. Home keeper Glen Knight tipped over a header from his own defender Danny Chapman and from the resulting corner Robinson was denied by Knight.
Anton Thomas was unlucky with two first-time efforts. The first was saved by Knight's right foot then he touched a fierce volley on to the bar.
Linnets doubled their lead just past the hour mark. when Mills' 20-yard shot hit the base of the post and Hayes made it the perfect debut by tapping in the rebound.
Welling were allowed back in the match after 70 minutes when Russell Edwards nodded back a corner and sub Charley Side headed home.
But three minutes later a terrible mix-up between Knight and Mark Hone allowed Thomas to chase down the ball a flick it in the net from an acute angle.
Immediately the Wings hit back with Chuck Martini being caught off his line and Robinson receiving his marching orders for palming away Anthony Riviere's lob with the ball apparently already over the line.
But with regular penalty taker Dolby sent off, former Peterborough forward Zeke Rowe blazed the spot-kick high and wide.
Despite more home pressure, Lynn made Welling pay for their mistake as Edwards was booked for fouling Simon Dakin, who took the free-kick, and another howler by Knight provided sub Lyndon Rowland with a goal.
Robinson is likely to miss one game, which will be Newport at home in a fortnight.
On the handball, Mills said: "It's a split-second decision, you don't have time to think. If the penalty had gone in, it's 3-2 but the lad's missed it."
Lynn: C. Martini, S. Dakin, J. March, D. Robinson, G. Full, G. Mills, E. Nwadike (L. Gibson 90), A. Hayes, A. Thomas (L. Rowland 76), T. Wright (A. Bullimore 76), D. Puttnam.
Welling: G. Knight, J. Budden (J.Farley 64), G. Dolby, M. Hone, R. Edwards, D. Chapman, A. Riviera, M. Rutherford, P Whitmarsh, Z.. Rowe, S. Glover (C. Side h-). Sub not used: L. Watts.
Att: 330

MATCH STATISTICS	Shots on Target	Shots off Target	Corners	Caught Offside	Free kicks Conceded	Bookings
Lynn	10	7	9	2	17	Robinson (75, handball)
Welling	6	7	7	3	15	Edwards (87, foul) Dolby (23, professional foul)
Lynn News Man of the Match -Jamie March