King's Lynn 5 Netherfield 0
9th April 1983
JIM KABIA swept to the top of the Linnets goal charts with a hat-trick in the last twenty minutes against doomed Netherfield on Saturday.
This takes his goals tally to ten in the last nine NPL Fixtures.
Kabia's impressive run started with a hat-trick at Oswestry on March 12, when he was under orders from manager Keith Rudd to be more selfish and hunt for goals in the penalty area. Since then the coloured striker has shown an appetite for the job - a marked difference to his six goals in the first 23 games he had for the club.
Netherfield, already having announced their decision to quit the NPL at the end of the season, are prime candidates for the bottom place in the league. They played without confidence or purpose and must be rated the poorest side to play at The Walks in a league game all season.
Right from the start it was obvious that if the Linnets got any pattern going to their game then the goals would come.
Simplicity was the key as the first two goals were swept in.
Keith Rudd made a good run down the right wing to meet Colin Faster's pass and the low cross from the manager was neatly turned in by Chris Watts at the near post.
That was in the 14th minute and ten minutes later it was Watts again in the goalmouth to finish off an Easthall-Rudd move.
Watts had been advised not to play following an operation on Tuesday to his broken nose, but these goals must have made it all worthwhile turning out.
Lynn then surprisingly fell away, perhaps through complacency, and their play was scrappy although powerful shots from Rudd and then Foster were only inches away.
The second half opened wish Lynn twice getting into the perfect position behind the Netherfield defence, but each time when firstly Burrows and then Watts cut the ball back a defender stuck out a boot to clear. Richard Johnston must have thought his first goal of the season was on the way when he thumped in a solid shot which was heading for the net until a defender deflected it wide. From the corner, in the 73rd minute. Kabia and Easthall both fluffed chances before Kabia finally headed in.
Rudd could have got his name on the scoresheet a minute later, but the keeper blocked his effort and somehow the brave Medley also kept out a close range volley from Bircumshaw.
There was another fine save by Medley to keep out Easthall's shot in the 85th minute but this time Kabia was there to tap in the rebound.
And it was all finished off by a flowing move through Rudd, Watts and Easthall before Kabia at the far post got the final touch.
Lynn: Claxton; Bartlett, Bircumshaw, Johnston, Wiles: Watts, Easthall, Foster, Burrows; Rudd, Kabia. Sub Lindsay.
Netherfield: Medley, Knowles, Wilson, Burgess, Cahill, Richardson, Cooke, Caton, Rigby (sub Chester 78 mins). Hales, Thompson.
Referee, J. McAuley (Leeds). Attendance: 274.