King's Lynn 1 Stamford 0
10th September 2002
A WELL-TAKEN goal from Lee Stephenson ensured the Linnets beat the league leaders.Lynn thoroughly deserved to end the Daniels' unbeaten run in the first time Stamford had visited Lynn in a Southern League fixture.
"We had enough chances to make it 3 or 4-0. Anything other than a win would have been a travesty," said manager Peter Morris.
The players are starting to believe in the team ethic.
"That's three games without conceding a goal, and Stamford had one decent chance."
David Staff was outstanding against his former club, sometimes playing like an old-fashioned winger in taking on and beating his man.
"David was electric, he put quality balls in the box, now we need someone to get on the end of them, said Morris. I thought Lee put away the hardest chance he had, but it was a good goal. It was a lovely early ball from Holmesy,"
Stephenson struck on the quarter-hour mark after Carl Holmes, another ex-Daniels player, and Glen Fuff had gone close.
Holmes threaded a fine ball wide on the right to Stephenson, who spun defender Nick Ashby, cut in on his left foot and curled the ball around keeper Darren Horrigan.
It appeared that Paul Raynor had doubled the lead, but his headed `goal' was ruled out for a foul on the keeper.
Stamford's best chance was on 37 minutes when the dangerous Richard Bailey fed Kevin Ainslie, who brought a low save from Dean Greygoose, who looked solid on his Walks debut.
However, in the second half the visitors curiously withdrew Bailey into midfield as the Linnets continued to run the game.
Good interplay between Stephenson and strike partner Paul Watts meant the former's effort was blocked by Horrigan on 54 minutes.
Watts and Stephenson both forced good saves before Watts' header was cleared off the line by Craig Donaldson from Raynor's corner with 15 minutes left:
From that point play got scrappy, but the Lincolnshire side could make no impression.
Lynn: Greygoose, Staff, Blake, Gowshall, Fuff, Cowling, Anderson, Raynor, Watts, Stephenson , Holmes. Subs not used: Weston: Bacon, Ortega, Johnson, Nobes. Booked; Anderson (12, flare-up)
Stamford: D. Horrigan, . W. Donald, A. Peaks, N. Ashby, D. Rhule, M. Green, C. Donaldson (M. Fisher 88), D. Steadman, R. Bailey, G. Pritchard, K. Ainslie.
Not used: R. Thompson, R. Yardy,M. Ndekwe, T. Webster. Booked: Steadman (63, not retreating at free-kick), Green (90, dissent)
Att: 494.
Referee: G. Sandell (Norwich).
| FACTfile | Shots on Target | Shots off Target | Corners | Caught Offside | Free kicks Conceded |
| Lynn | 6 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 20 |
| Stamford | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 19 |
| Lynn News Man of the Match - David Staff | |||||