Workington 4 King's Lynn 3
13th December 2008
THE Linnets twice fought back in boggy Cumbria, but four goals conceded, including a controversial penalty, meant they just failed to gain a spot in the last 32.
Michael Frew, Luke Graham and an own goal had meant Lynn levelled from being 2-0 and 3-2 down, but Workington's on-loan centre half from Carlisle Darran Campian bagged the second-half winner.
The hosts' third goal came from a hotly-disputed spot-kick given for handball on defender Greg Crane.
Linnets boss Keith Webb said: "I'm frustrated. To concede four goals, albeit with a bit of help from the referee, it was always going to give ourselves a mountain to climb, and it was a little bit too big.
"It's not individuals to blame for the goals, it's more as a group, collectively. We've got to get more solid as a unit.
"We've got players who like to do things on the ball, whereas you're up against teams who are organised and play more direct.
"You've got to look at the conditions, we were playing too much football around players, but you couldn't do that on that quagmire.
"Their two early goals weren't down to tactics. They started like a train, we didn't. They bombarded us.
"Full credit to their groundsman, who worked tirelessly to get the game on.
"It's the last place you would have wanted to go to in midweek.
"We'd got ourselves back into the game.
"But the referee handed them an early Christmas present, to say the least. I'm very disappointed with the penalty decision.
"Greg was two yards off their fella when he smashed it. His hand hasn't moved, it was ball-to-hand rather than hand-to-ball.
"The linesman was facing Greg and just eight yards away, and didn't flag.
"But the referee couldn't wait to blow his whistle. It gave them a lift, and took the wind out of our sails.
"At the end I don't know how they scrambled the ball off the line."
Lynn were making their second 500-mile round trip to Workington's rain-swept Borough Park stadium in the space of a week after drawing 1-1 in the Blue Square North.
But The Walks outfit started badly and soon found themselves two down
Phil McLuckie gave the home side an early lead on six minutes, from close range after a cross from Gary Rowntree.
In the 12th minute Gareth Arnison doubled the advantage from Shaun Vipond's ball over the top.
Lynn finally settled and Michael Frew and Ben Sedgemore had efforts saved by Adam Collin.
But Frew notched his ninth goal of the season five minutes before half-time, deflecting Sedgemore's shot following a free-kick from Greg Crane.
After the break Frew centred and Luke Graham glanced in the equaliser.
The hotly-disputed penalty came when Vipond struck the ball at Crane.
Arnison put away the spot-kick �€“ and all this before the hour mark.
Lynn levelled again shortly afterwards when Vipond could only divert a John Turner cross into his own net.
But just when thoughts were perhaps drifting towards a Walks replay, up popped Campian to rifle a loose ball home from the edge of the Lynn area.
Sub Joe Francis should have gained a last-gasp 87th-minute equaliser, but his weak sidefoot was somehow cleared off the line by Rowntree.
Goals: McLuckie 6 mins, Arnison 12, 58, Campion 70.
Lynn: Howie, Weaver (Thomas 50), C. Defty, Graham, Crane, Camm, Sedgemore (Turner 56), Mitchell, J. Defty, Frew, Smith (Francis 76). Not used: Joachim, Murray.
Booked: Weaver, Graham, C. Defty. Goals: Frew 20, Graham 50, Vipond og 65.
Referee: Mr M.J Denton (Todmorden). Attendance: 240. Report by permission of the Lynn News