Team Bath 0 King's Lynn 5
14th August 2004
STRIKER Danny Bloomfield gave the students of. Team Bath a lesson in finishing as the Linnets cruised to their biggest opening day win since the end of the Second World War.Bloomfield fired Lynn's first opening day hat-trick for 37 years to get their campaign off to a flying start.
The fans' favourite became the first player to bag a treble in Lynn's first league game since Malcolm Lindsey's hat trick in a 3-3 draw at Poole in 1967.
Joint Linnets boss Kevin Boon said: "The partnership of Danny Bloomfield and Tony Battersby was the difference between the two sides.
"The pair of them were awesome. Danny is a little predator and his finishing was first class.
"Despite the scoreline, Team Bath were not a bad side and there won't be too many teams going there and winning 5-0 in the remainder of the season.
"There were one or two aspects which Biff and myself weren't happy about and we will be working on them in training."
Darren Bloodworth said: "It was three points, but I didn't think the performance football-wise was very good.
"That's probably being very picky. To score five goals away from home without conceding was very pleasing."
The Linnets got off to the ideal start and calmed their nerves by taking the lead in the 5th minute.
Goalkeeper Steve Wilson's long clearance was only partially met by Team Bath's Dean Smith and Bloomfield nipped in to give Lynn the lead.
Fifteen minutes later, Gary Setchell found Tony Battersby on the left and the giant frontman crossed for Bloomfield to thump home.
A solid opening 45 minutes nearly ended with a third goal for Lynn when the hardworking Carl Holmes headed an Angel free-kick into the arms of home keeper Ryan Northmore.
The home side exerted some pressure at the start of the second period with Danny Maye testing the fingertips of Wilson.
But it was Lynn who added a third in the 52nd minute when another defensive lapse allowed Bloomfield to pounce for his and Lynn's third.
Wilson made further good saves to deny Canham and Reeves before a Danny Hammond free-kick was slammed home by substitute Lee Stevenson.
Two minutes from the end Battersby picked out Robbie Harris with a delicate chip and Bloomfield's late replacement made no mistake with the finish. Team Bath: Northmore, Smith (Mititiri 50), Townley, Saunders, Holland, Tisdale, Wojiechowski, Canham (Nichols 86), Jaukovic, Reeves, Maya (Storey 68). Subs Not used: Ndombe, Chitty.
Lynn: Wilson„ Jones; Setchell, Burrows, Hammond, Stitch, Camm, Holmes (Fishlock 70), Battersby, Bloomfield (Harris 80), Angel (Stevenson (80). Not used: Blake and Osborne.
Attendance: 132
Referee: Peter Grove (Stourbridge).
Man-of-the-match: Danny Bloomfield.