Halesowen Town 4 King's Lynn 1

10th January 1998

UNLUCKY Lynn suffered a double-injury blow on their way to a cruel defeat by promotion rivals Halesowen.
The Linnets lost striker Lee Hudson 15 minutes before the break with an ankle injury following a cruel challenge by Halesowen's Richard Crisp.
And worse followed for Peter Morris' side 17 minutes into the second half, with the home side leading 1-0, when Steve Lewis fell to the ground with a cartilage injury in his right knee after taking a goal-kick.
Lewis was stretchered off and his exit marked the beginning, of the end for Lynn who were unable to name substitute keeper with James Hollman suspended.
Skipper Colin Hoyle led from the front to don the gloves and although he made two fine saves, Halesowen put the game beyond Lynn's reach with three goals in eight minutes.
The injuries continued a miserable year for Lewis and Hudson who have both been plagued with problems. Hudson, who has been suffering with niggling injuries for most of the season, admitted that he was just starting to feel fully fit before this latest setback.
"Saturday was the first match this season that I had gone into a game without carrying some kind of knock," said the disappointed striker.
"When the Halesowen lad caught me I really thought I had broken my ankle as I couldn't feel a thing.
"Luckily, the X-ray showed that it is only badly bruised."
Goalkeeper Lewis, who celebrated his birthday on Sunday, also underwent X-rays and possibly faces longer on the sidelines than Hudson.
"As soon as I took the kick my cartilage just locked up," said a frustrated Lewis who only returned to action at the start of the season following a six month lay off with a groin injury.
"It unlocked on Sunday but I am still hobbling around and will be going back to the hospital to find out what damage there is."
Both sides were clearly suffering from the previous Saturday's postponements during a dour first half in which new signing Michael Trotter settled in well.
Halesowen took the lead in the 44th minute with their first effort on goal from Steve Piearce.
Steve Williams and Mead had early chances in the second half to bring Lynn back on level terms before Lewis' injury turned the game.
Hoyle's first duty between the posts was to pick the ball out of the net after a curling 64th minute shot from Ian Reed left him with no chance.
Lynn's luck continued to go against them five minutes later when Evron Wright's header from Luke Yates' corner cannoned off the post onto Hoyle's head and into the net.
A Mead header from Brett McNamara's cross came back off the post before a fine individual effort from Piearce made the score 4-0.
Craig Hopkins hit the post in the 89th minute after the young midfielder, celebrating his 100th appearance in a Lynn shirt, had waltzed his way through the home defence.
Williams grabbed a deserved consolation for Lynn when he headed home Richard Skelly's cross.

Lynn: Lewis (Stock 64), Cotterill, Skelly, Hoyle, Trotter, Pascoe, Hopkins, Matthews, Williams, Mead, Hudson (McNamara 30). Subs (not used) Delicata.
Halesowen: McDonnell, Gardiner, Owen, Wood (Evans 65), Snape, Crisp, Reed, Wright, Piearce, Yates (Azevedo 83), Sharpe (Cooper 79).

MATCH STATISTICS	Shots on Target	Shots off Target	Corners	Caught Offside	Free kicks Conceded	Bookings
Lynn	5	6	4	3	3	Williams (foul, 28) Pascoe (foul, 43)
Halesowen	10	6	8	4	12	Crisp (foul, 25)