Weekend Games
14th-15th April 2007
King's Lynn 3 Chippenham Town 0King's Lynn 4 Tiverton Town 1
LINNETS boss Keith Webb heaped praise on his players as his side moved within touching distance of the play-offs. What looked a tricky double-header on paper proved to be a weekend stroll for Lynn, who recorded back-to-back home wins against Chippenham on the Saturday and Tiverton 24 hours later.
The Linnets need just two points from their final three fixtures to book a place in the play-offs, while one more win would definitely give Lynn home advantage in the play-off semi-final.
A second-place finish still isn't out of the question with Team Bath – five points ahead of Lynn – the visitors to The Walks a week tomorrow.
A delighted Webb said: "I'm really running out of superlatives for the players, who have been absolutely magnificent for me.
"We've had our ups and downs over the last three weeks, but the players have never shied away from anything."
For once, lady luck was on Lynn's side against Chippenham, who controlled the first 45 minutes on Saturday.
The Bluebirds had two goals disallowed and two penalty appeals turned down, while Scott Howie was lucky not to be sent-off for handling outside his area midway through the first period.
A breakaway goal in the tenth minute from Jack Defty gave Lynn a lucky 1-0 lead.
Lynn were a different side after the break with late goals from Matt Nolan and Michael Frew sealing a 3-0 win after Chippenham's Ian Herring had been sent for an early bath in the 65th minute for two bookings.
Webb, who read the riot act to his players at half-time, said: "We started off slowly and the referee and his assistants had to make some big decisions.
"You wonder if we'd been away from home whether the decisions would have been the same, but they even themselves out over a season."
Lynn made another slow start 24 hours later in their first Sunday game for 15 years.
Scott Laird fired Tivvy into an early lead, but Charlie Defty scored his first senior goals for the club with identical headers at opposite ends in the 23rd and 58th minutes.
Matt Nolan made it 3-1 as Lynn took control before Jack Defty's strike 13 minutes from time saw two brothers score in the same game for the first time since the Whitelum's.
Webb enthused: "Charlie Defty was immense." A memorable weekend saw more than 1,700 paying customers through the gate, which delighted Linnets chairman Ken Bobbins.
Bobbins said: "The board, club staff and all of the players would like to place on record our most sincere thanks to the supporters, who turned out in force over the weekend.
"Over 1,700 fans in the two days is a great credit to you all, especially with the weather being so good and other attractions to chose from."
Saturday
King's Lynn 3 Chippenham 0
Lynn: Howie, West, Blois, Hammond, Crane, Melton, C. Defty (Gaughran 79), Camm, J. Defty (Frew 60), Nolan, Gould (Fisk 73). Subs (not used): Bloomfield, Marshall. Booking: Frew.
Goals: J. Defty (10), Nolan (77), Frew (89). Chippenham: Snoddy, Adams, Halliday, Metitiri, Stanley (Griffin 70), Herring, Allison, Holly, Gilroy (Price 61), Harvey, Badman (Milsom 81). Subs (not used): Knight, Etheridge. Bookings: Adams, Halliday, Allison. Sending off: Herring.
Referee: S. Ross (Boston). Attendance: 890.
MoM: Matt Nolan.
Sunday
King's Lynn 4 Tiverton 1
Lynn: Howie, West, Blois, Hammond, Crane, Gaughran (Melton 45), Frew, Camm, J. Defty, Bloomfield (Nolan 63), C. Defty (Gould 76). Subs (not used): Marshall, Fisk. Booking: C. Defty.
Goals: C. Defty (23, 58), Nolan (68), J. Defty (77).
Tiverton: Barker, Alcock (Skinner 72), Lammacraft, Gardner, Harris, Thomas, Booth, Bale, Cliff-Brown, Laird, Mudge (Stamp 64). Sub (not used): Pepperell. Bookings: Bale, Harris. Goal: Laird (17).
Referee: K. Lawson (Lincs). Attendance: 855.
MoM: Charlie Defty.