King's Lynn 4 Notts County Reserves 4

12th January 1957

Fantastic is the only word to describe Lynn's second-half fight-back on Saturday. It had life, determination, guts, spirit, everything, including four goals. It was the most encouraging sight seen on the Walks this season.
What happened to Lynn at half-time? In the first time they had been completely outplayed by a swift-moving, opportunity - snatching County combination that looked in a far higher class than Lynn. And just before the interval Lynn looked worn-out and desperate. On the restart there was a complete reversal. Lynn did all the attacking and crashed their way through the Notts. defence time and again.
The answer had been found. Ryder was moved out to the left wing and Williams who had not had much of the ball in the first half came into the middle. At first it looked as though Williams was at centre forward, but actually Lee went as spear-head and Williams played inside left.
This strong, robust lad from Boston made all the difference in the middle. "There's the answer to the centre forward problem." said many of the crowd as he forced his way through towards goal. As the scores became closer, the crowd's boos and jeers - a feature of the first half - turned to genuine applause and cheers. By the end of the game everyone on the ground was cheering. I am sure that encouragement played a great part in Lynn's most heartening display for many weeks.
Notts County were far superior in the first half. They were a young team - the only man of experience being Johnson at inside left. Their goalkeeper, very stylish, was only 17 as was Gissing on the right wing. This red haired lad gave Bannister a real run around in the early stages and seemed to fly down the tough-line like lightning. Two goals were a direct result of his speed. Right-half Blenkinsop is the son of the ex-English international.
The Lynn team showed two changes from last week. Todd did not play, how place being taken by Le and Downie turned up but decided against playing as he said he had a sore throat. Robinson took his place.
Lynn kicked off but County were first on the attack a shot going inches high in the first minute. Lynn attacked for a short while but four successive "offsides" destroyed any goal scoring chances.
Then in the fifth minute Gissing received from Johnson and quickly put the ball across the goalmouth. There BIRCUMSHAW was waiting and he first-timed it into the net from a very narrow angle.
Then a good ball from Ryder found two Lynn forwards offside again. Morris started a promising movement on the wing carried on by Vickers but Lee hit the side-netting from the edge of the penalty area.
Now Notts showed all the skill and after a quarter of an hour's play PARRY took advantage of a ball that slipped by Heagren and given a clear passage to goal made no mistake.
In an isolated Lynn raid the 'keeper failed to hold a Ryder cross but the attack had been so sudden, no Lynn forward was close enough to goal to tap into the net.
Notts still pressed and in the 27th minute JOHNSON made it 3-0. His drive was straight at Manning but the 'keeper failed to hold it, the ball spinning from his hands and into the net.
A rattling good effort by Williams was tipped over the bar and that ended Lynn's first half attack.
From that point to the half time whistle Lynn's forwards never looked like scoring. They were slow to move into position, passing was weak, and there was no combination or method.
In the 32nd minute PARRY again ran on to a ball which beat two Lynn defenders and with an open goal, easily scored. County maintain presure until half time, the Lynn defence scurrying all over the field in an attempt to repress their sprightly efforts.
With a re-arranged forward line, Lynn soon gave the impression in the second half that they were not going to stand for any messing about any longer.
Two minutes after the restart, Ryder winged to Morris who centred chest high to LEE. The inside forward had had a miserable first half but atoned somewhat for this by sharply brining the ball under control and shooting on the turn. The ball curled in under the bar - a picture goal.
Enthusiasm and determination was high as again Lynn stormed into the attack. Williams, Lee and Vickers, who had made some fine first half openings, all had shots blocked.
After Lee had been floored, Ryder nearly scored and when the referee blew several people thought he was awarding a penalty for a foul on Lee but he pointed for a goal kick.
Lynn for the first time held the initiative and were using experience and pulling off tricks which the young opponents had probably never seen before. Robinson in particular bamboozled them several times.
Williams put the ball out to RYDER in the 17th minute of the second half and he bustled the ball into the net between a ruck of players.
After a quarter of an hour of sustained Lynn attack, Lee was again brought down in the area. RYDER took the spot kick and placed it right in the bottom of the net - a perfect penalty goal.
Then out of the blue, two Notts forwards had goal scoring chances but each shot inches wide.
4-3 was the score and the crowd were yelling at the tops of their voices. Lynn looked like scoring another and sure enough, they did.
Bannister moved right up and took a corner kick which was hurriedly put back into the goalmouth by a Lynn forward and MORRIS standing by the goalpost calmly stuck a foot out and turned the ball round the post for the equaliser - the cheekiest goal imaginable.
The Lynn player mobbed Morris in their great pleasure and although they maintained their superiority no further goals came.
If I could only have watched one Lynn game this season, this would be the one I would have chosen. Only 2,673 people plus the season ticket holders saw this match.
Lynn: Manning, Neil, Bannister; Robinson, Heagren, Bunn; Morris, Vickers, Ryder, Lee, Williams.
Notts County Res: Smith; Groom, Maddison; Blenkinsop, Rawson, Loxley; Glassing, Sheridan, Parry, Johnson, Bircumshaw
Attendance: 2,673