Ilkeston Town 1 King's Lynn 1
(Lynn won 4-3 on penalties)
(Lynn won 4-3 on penalties)
13th December 1999
LYNN booked their place In the last 16 of the League Cup after coming through a dramatic penalty shoot-out for the second successive round.After beating Spalding in the first round a month ago the Linnets once again held their nerve from the spot to send their Derbyshire rivals crashing out in front of their home supporters.
"I'm delighted to have gone through as it was a very tough game for us," said manager Gary Mills, who admitted that he didn't mind going through on spot kicks in every round if it ensured that his side reached the final.
"Penalties don't bother me. If that's what it takes to go through in every round then so be it.
"Playing in the final is easy, but it's getting there which is the hard part. Coming to places like Ilkeston on a cold, wet night and winning proves that we have the potential to go all the way.
'There were a lot of good performances out there and I thought our back five were tremendous.
"We refused to be intimidated, remained disciplined and our run continues. Let's just hope we get a home draw in the next round," he added.
Goalkeeper Chuck Martini still on the transfer list for almost two months - was the Linnets hero, saving two of the penalties after the game had failed to produce a winner after an extra 30 minutes.
The Moroccan international, who made two breathtaking saves in normal time, first of all foiled Paul Raynor and then home skipper John Knapper into his first penalty miss for three-and-a-half years to send Lynn through.
Striker Lyndon Rowland was the only Lynn player guilty of missing from the spot with the quartet of Mills, Lee Wilson, Craig Clark and Mark Harbottle making no mistake.
Reserve hot-shot Jon Palmer had earlier kept Lynn's hopes alive after coming off the bench to score with virtually his first touch of the match.
Palmer, a 68th minute replacement for Dave Puttnam,, converted the easiest of chances after Wilson had placed Tony Marsden's free kick into his path. Palmer notched his first senior team goal for over a year, last scoring on December 12, 1998 against Tamworth.
Ilkeston had taken the lead three minutes before the break through Tony Hemmings as the game followed a similar pattern to the league encounter a month earlier.
But Lynn, who were without the services of the snowbound Tony Spearing - who was stranded at Fakenham hit back and deservedly forced extra time after a stirring display.
The woodwork had prevented the Linnets from winning the game before the penalty drama when Palmer headed a late effort against the crossbar in extra-time.
Lynn: Martini, Mills, Clark, Robinson, Fuff, Dakin, Harbottle, Marsden, Rowland, Wilson, Puttnam. (Palmer 68)
MoM; Chuck Martini