King's Lynn 1 Yate Town 0
11th February 2006
Striker Matt Nolan maintained his rich vein of form in
front of goal as the Linnets continued their play-off
push at The Walks.Nolan was on target with his sixth goal in 10 games as Lynn ended Yate's seven-match unbeaten run.
The only goal of the game came straight from the training ground when Sam McMahon's free-kick was beautifully glanced home by Nolan on 29 minutes.
Lynn were given a timely boost before the off in front of a healthy crowd of 868 when Yate lost goalkeeper Tony Court in the warm up with a dislocated finger.
With no replacement on the bench, Yate top scorer, Darrren Edwards, donned the gloves.
Lynn rarely looked like losing their five-match unbeaten league run, which ironically started following a 3-2 defeat at Saturday's opponents back in early February.
Manager Tommy Taylor made two changes from the side that gained a more-than-useful point at Chippenham a week earlier.
As expected, Matt O'Halloran replaced the suspended Jack Defty in attack, while Matthew Peters replaced the flu-ridden Cedric Anselin in the middle of the park.
In the fifth minute an early O'Halloran centre was confidently clutched onto by Edwards.
Five minutes later, a crisp five-man move nearly resulted in Peters getting a clear sight of goal.
Yate's first opportunity fell the way of Lee Jefferies who tried his luck from long range.
Midway through the half, Linnets defender Dean West left the field with a nasty-looking cut, just above his left eye.
By the time he returned, sporting a bandage around his injury, Yate's Scott Brice had been booked for a reckless lunge on O'Halloran.
Nolan's goal gave Lynn extra impetus, Stephen Harvey narrowly heading an O'Halloran cross wide and Nolan striking West's cross straight at the visitors keeper.
Chances were few and far between in a scrappy second period, which saw Edwards foil O'Halloran just after the restart.
Yate's best two opportunities of the game came in the space of five second half minutes.
Paul Metheringham saw his effort creep just wide, while Adam Sims skied over when well placed.
Nolan, instrumental in most of Lynn's best moves of the afternoon, latched onto a hopeful ball from the back, but his cheeky chip was well caught by Edwards.
In an effort to get something from the game, visiting substitute, Christian Sylvester, a replacement for David Sims a few minutes earlier, went in goal and Edwards resumed normal service up front.
But, it was Lynn who came closest to extending their lead when Mark Heath-Preston just failed to get a touch to Nolan's driven cross with two minutes remaining.
Taylor said: "When we played them away I thought they were one of the better teams.
"They didn't have one shot that our goalkeeper had trouble with, we just had to deal with crosses.
On whether the injury to the Yate goalkeeper had an effect on the game, Taylor said: "It might have done, but I wouldn't have put my leading scorer in goal.
"They hadn't lost since Christmas and came here cock-a-hoop and tried to bully us on a couple of occasions.
Lynn: Benstead, West, Smith, McMahon, Cooper, Camm, Peters (Heath-Preston 70), Carey, Nolan, Harvey (C. Defty 90), O'Halloran (Hammond 72). Subs not used: Fell, McAnally.
Yate: Edwards, Sims (Sylvester 60), Elsey, Brice, Jefferies, Wyatt, Wood, Chenoweth, Metheringham, Campbell, Cox. Not used: Vickerman, Barless, Thompson. Booked: Brice, Chenoweth, Campbell.
Referee: G. Sandell (Norwich). Attendance: 868.