King's Lynn 2 Salisbury City 1
9th February 2002
SUBSTITUTE Tommy Wright turned the match as the Linnets came from behind in their first game at home this year, to save embarrassment against the bottom club.After both sides had a man sent off, Wright played a part in well-taken second-half goals from Matty Clements and sub Paul Watts - his second in two games - to seal victory.
When the veteran Scottish player-coach came on, the side showed the urgency and incisiveness it had lacked before.
"Tommy changed the game for us. He put a different class of balls in, and his running off the ball and tempo were fantastic," said manager Tony Spearing. "We'd like to get him to-play more, but he can't last 90 minutes!"
Skipper Dave Robinson managed his eighth sending off in Lynn colours.
This also equals Lynn's highest tally of red cards in a season, six, in 1998/99.
Martin McNeil, whose brother Ross has also played for the first team, had a solid home debut and almost scored twice with long-range shots.
"Martin did very well. He looked comfortable and you can see why he's played a lot in the league," added Spearing.
Both sides struggled on a heavy pitch, which resulted in some of the distribution being worse than Consignia's.
And in a game featuring the lowest-scoring side (Salisbury) and the third-lowest, confidence in front of goal was low.
Zeke Rowe had the best chance of the opening half in the tenth minute. Clements found Jamie Clarke, who sent a superb curling through ball into Rowe's path, but the advancing keeper James Bittner blocked his effort.
He denied Lynn many times, saving low from Clarke, and again at the feet of Rowe.
Despite the Linnets' greater possession, Salisbury counterattacked and Tyronne Bowers, on the overlap, hit the angle of post and bar on 15 minutes.
Soon after, an innocuous looking challenge on John Wills by Wilson, who raced to the right corner of his box, resulted in a penalty to City on the stroke of half-time.
Ryan King slotted away the spot-kick.
More drama followed as Ryan Souter was dismissed for elbowing Rowe in the face, to be joined by Robinson for lashing out in reply. When will he ever learn not to get involved?
More frustration endured for the Linnets after the break as Bittner saved low from Clements and superbly tipped a 20-yard Glen Fuff blockbuster around the post.
Adie Hayes looped a close range sitter over the bar following good work from Clarke, who was replaced by Wright on the hour.
This had an effect within four minutes. A free-kick on the left was tapped to Wright, whose deep centre Clements expertly back-headed home for his first goal for the club.
City replied as King hit the post from a corner.
The busy Wright engineered the winner with ten minutes left. Again on the left he fed Jamie March down the line.
Watts neatly controlled the cross and fired into the roof of the net to cap his home debut.
Lynn: Wilson, Dakin, March,Robinson, Fuff, M. McNeil, White, Hayes, Rowe (Watts 71)CGlements, Clarke (Wnght 59), Sub not used. Clark.
Salisbury: J. Bittneff,-B.: Evans, A. Cook, M. Cooper, R. Souter; M. Davies, W. Turk, J. Wills (R. Emms 45), G. Risbridger (S. Richardson 56), R. King, T. Bowers. Not used: D. Crook.
Att: 683. MoM Tommy Wright
| MATCH STATISTICS | Shots on Target | Shots off Target | Corners | Caught Offside | Free kicks Conceded |
Bookings/S-Off |
| Lynn | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 17 | Dakin (84 foul) Robinson (45 violent conduct)  |
| Salisbury | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 20 | Evans (9 push) Turk (85 tackle from behind) Souter (45, elbow) |