Dorchester Town 0 King's Lynn 3
10th September 1983
Composed Lynn handed out a lesson in finishing in their first-ever visit to Dorchester and left the home side still seeking their first Southern League points.
The lesson began in the opening minutes and the teacher was Chris Watts. Dorchester's Steve Butt had just wasted a great opportunity to put the home side ahead when Watts had a similar chance for Lynn.
A free-kick taken by Dorchester just outside the visitor's area was blocked by their defensive wall and played quickly up the middle. Watts, beginning his run from inside the Lynn half, outpaced Dorchester's square defence and drew goalkeeper Peter Manuel before slotting the ball home.
That did Dorchester's waning confidence no good at all and when Colin Garwood made it 2-0 with a real beauty in the 18th minute the game looked as good as won,
Garwood was allowed room to tee the ball up a good 25 yards out and his superbly struck right foot shot rocketed into the top corner leaving Manuel no hope of saving.It was the striker's first league goal for the Linnets
The .home goalkeeper twice came running out to Dorchester's rescue as Martin Coupe exposed the slow�ness of their central defenders.
Dorchester saw a fine chance to launch a second half revival go begging in the 48th minute when Kevin Dove blasted wide from 10 yards and from then on there was little doubt where the points were going.
Coupe had a header cleared off the line in a hectic goalmouth scramble in the 74th minute before Garwood struck again.
It was Jim Kabia who did the spadework with a right wing break. He stayed on his feet despite the challenge of defender Peter Loveridge and laid the ball back for Garwood to guide a first time shot past Manuel and the covering defenders on the goal-line.
Linnets boss Keith Rudd said later that the victory was very good for the team's morale as they prepare for the the FA Cup at Halesowen this week.
"We played like a solid Northern Premier League team in soaking up pressure when it was necessary and hitting them hard on the break.
"From these early games in the Southern League I get the impression that the opposition teams like to gamble by leaving players forward when we arc attacking, This means there should he space for us to exploit in their half.
"At Dorchester taking an early lead was a great boost for us and we had four or five clear-cut chances in the first half. There was a period in the second half when our mid�field lost their way, but even so we still did not look in any danger.
"Several of the lads who had been out of sorts were hack on song, with Richard Johnston very strong, Chris Watts working hard and Cohn Garwood rewarded for his efforts with two goals."
Dorchester: Manuel, Townsend, Elay, Chutter. Loveridge. Miller, Patterson, Steele; Butt, Dove,,Thorne: (sub Squires for Butt 60 mins).
Lynn: McPherson; McJannet, Johnston, Mercer, Wiles: Foster. Allen, Watts: Kabia, Coupe, Garwood: (sub Easthall for Allen 82 miss).