King's Lynn 4 Tamworth 2

12th December 1998

ENJOYING his finest hour since becoming manager Gary Mills dedicated this astonishing victory, which may be a turning point for his season, to Lynn's fans.
Mills, who notched his first home league win after four second half goals against old rivals Tamworth, beamed after the match: "I'm delighted for the club, the team, but even more so for the fans - it's taken until December 12 to put the first smile on their faces."
The win proved to be a lift in more ways than one.
It hauled Lynn off the bottom of the table and provided such a relief for the troubled club.
After being 2-0 down it was an amazing Turner-round for the Linnets as debut boy Lee [sic] Turner scored the first goal with a stunning volley and set up the equaliser.
Three players - Turner, Dave Robinson and Jon Palmer - notched their first goals for the club.
In 40 rousing minutes Lynn scored more goals than they managed in the previous eight matches to emphatically silence the noisy visiting fans. By the end the only sounds heard were: "We want five!'
"I said before the game 'the season starts now'. I told the lads that they could win it.
"But it was the style of the win after being two goals down," said Mills. "We showed great discipline and in the second half did everything right "We've now got to believe that no one's better than us. What I said to the players at half-time - can we print it? It had to happen.
"We couldn't create chances and not put them in the net. It was disappointing that both their goals were booted over the top and we've not defended it.
On Turner, Mills commented: "The debut boy was tremendous, there's a lot of good football in him. What a sweet goal on his debut magnificent."
With five minutes gone Turner nearly opened his account,- heading over Paul Ramsey's cross while Lee Wilson shot over. But again Lynn's opponents found their shooting boots first.
After a Robinson lunge on Paul Hatton, which later earned the Linnet a caution, everyone expected a freekick but the referee waved play on. The ball went out to Michael Moore, who rounded keeper Chuck Martini before beating Tony Spearing's flailing dive Another through ball, this time over the top from Darren Shaw, found Warren Haughton who rifled the ball past Martini to sneak in at the far post.
David Puttnam and Spearing desperately tried to find a way back into the game. Spearing, captain with Colin Hoyle on the bench, played a marvellous one-two with Micky Nuttell but was denied by keeper Tony Rowe's diving save.
In first half stoppage time Turner and Puttnam went close but Linnets got their reward early in the second half.
Spearing rampaged down the left, crossed and Turner met it first time with a sweet volley which crashed into the roof of the net.
This prompted Lynn to surge forward and Rowe needed two attempts at Ramsey's stinging 25-yarder. Then Rowe's weak clearance was returned by Robinson to Turner in a great position, but he was ruled offside.
Linnets were dealt a blow when Micky Nuttell had to go off when Willie Batchelor, with whom Nuttell had tussled all day, seem to tread heavily on him."
But this didn't knock Lynn out of their stride, Puttnam latching on to Turner's through ball and scrambling it under the keeper. Puttnam broke away, but clearly had his shirt pulled by Dave Foy just as he shot narrowly wide. Wilson also had claims to a penalty but earned a corner which Steve McGinty sent in and Robinson converted from 12 yards.
Then in injury time McGinty himself burst down the left and took the resulting corner.
Those watching could not believe their eyes as the ball ran loose to Palmer, who shimmied past Batchelor's challenge before burying the ball away.
Shortly after the final whistle blew, and home fans invaded the pitch as Spearing embraced his managerial colleagues Darren Gee and Mills, which prompted wild celebrations. This was Lynn's biggest comeback since recovering from 3-0 down to win 4-3 against Alvechurch in August 1991.
Although the crowd of 486 was not Lynn's lowest this season the Walks seemed like a morgue before the game. Perhaps this must see performance will entice the fans back.
Lynn: Martini, Follet, Spearing, Fuff (McGinty 65), Clark, Turner, Robinson (Hoyle 88), Ramsey, Nuttell (Palmer 60), Puttnam, Wilson.
Tamworth: Rowe, Warner, Shaw, Steele (Crawford 45), Batchelor, Hatton, Foy, Walker, Moore, Dixon (Smith 59), Haughton. Sub (not used) Mulholland.

MATCH STATISTICS	Shots on Target	Shots off Target	Corners	Caught Offside	Free kicks Conceded	Bookings
Lynn	10	12	6	2	14	Robinson (16, foul)
Tamworth	4	3	3	5	15	Batchelor (3, not retreating) Crawford (80, foul)