King's Lynn 3 Aldershot Town 1
14th November 1959
CHAMPAGNE and sherry, the gifts of anonymous donors, one a season
ticket holder, awaited a jubilant Lynn team on their return to the dressing room after creating club history by gaining victory over a League side in the F.A. Cup. There, joined by manager Len Richley and officials they drank a toast to their success - success gained not on the luck of the game, but by football ability.
Lynn deserved to win because they played the better football and because they took their chances. Aldershot have only themselves to blame for they rarely matched the all-round ability shown by Lynn and certainly they never equalled the home side in finishing power.
This was the third occasion since the war that Lynn had been drawn against a League club in the first round of the competition, having previously lost
3-1 at home to Exeter City in 1951 and 3-1 away to Brentford last season. On Saturday they made no mistake. Victory was their's and they richly deserved it
The first half saw Lynn in their best mood and supporters were happily at ease as Lynn went into a two-goal lead after only 31 minutes. They conceded a goal a minute before the interval but Lynn had played well enough as not to cause any misgivings about the second half. But the second period was, in fact, a much different story. Aldershot repulsed early Lynn pressure and then began to hit back. Their football was not of a particularly high order, but it was hard and direct and it was a strange thing to see Lynn so readily fall back on the defensive.
They virtually played into Aldershot's hands by retreating into their own half. At times all the Lynn team were in the same half of the field with the result that it became difficult to get attacks going. But they held out, with Cleary and Mackey.. in particular, setting fine examples of coolness under pressure.
They refused to be rattled by the weight of the pressure and instead came away calmly with the ball to make a good pass to a colleague.
There was only one goal between the teams during all this and many Lynn hearts must have been beating extra hard. Once when Cleary confidently worked the ball away from the goalmouth there spontaneous call in unison of "kick it" from a mass of anxious supporters
But as it transpired no-one needed to have worried. Lynn weathered the storm and then realising no doubt that attack is the best form of defence, began to regain their first half poise. Once more Sewell was scheming, Dixon was worrying, and once more the cheers were all behind the Lynn players
A couple of near misses preceded the most relieving moment of the whole match. It was the moment of real triumph. The minutes had been ticking, literally dragging away while Lynn desperately held on to that one-goal lead then came the Lynn reprisals and finally, two minutes from the end the goal that made the game safe and brought the most frenzied excitement seen at the Walks for many a long day.
Crowds rose from their seats, raised their arms, waved their hats, and a couple of minutes later as the final whistle blew crowds of spectators, most of them schoolboys, surged across the playing pitch to congratulate the players and swarm round Ray Dixon who has scored that last goal to take his tally for the match to two.
The whole Lynn team played their part in this fine victory. The defence, though looking a little uneasy at times, were generally the masters of the Aldershot attack and Manning, who had been brought in to replace the injured Thomas, had a comparatively comfortable afternoon.
Neilson pretty well blotted out inside left Norris, but Johnson had a tougher task against Mundy, the most impressive of the Aldershot forwards. In attack Baxter had one of his best games of the season, the inside trio were always forceful, and Lockey had a big hand in two of the goals.
Lynn began in fine style, and Aldershot conceded four free kicks and corners in the opening stages. Then Aldershot began to settle down better and Paccy and Mundy soon showed scheming ability but all their work was wasted by ineffective finishing.
From another corner kick, Lynn went close to scoring. Dixon headed on across goal from Lockey's kick and Sewell with a good chance close in somehow managed to shoot over the bar.
But it was not long before the crowd, the largest at the Walks this season, was given something to really shout about. Lockey smartly anticipated a throw-in by Shipwright to his goalkeeper, standing just inside the penalty area, and managed to force the ball past Brodie. DIXON pounced on to it and guided the ball into the empty net as defenders made a desperate dash back into the goalmouth.
Six minutes later Lynn were two up. The ball was sent inside by Baxter. and LUKE raced forward to score a great goal as Brodie advanced to meet him.
Though Aldershot did their fair share of the attacking, and at times had Lynn's defence extended, Manning was not troubled. The first dangerous effort brought Aldershot their only goal, a minute before half time. MUNDY jumped to head a free kick wide of Manning. who on surface wet from rain, slipped as he tried to dive after it.
And so Lynn were deservedly in the lead at the interval. Then came the
tense second half with Lynn holding out for a long spell and finally hitting back with their third goal. Dixon went near to scoring another goal just before and Luke missed a fine chance when he delayed shooting from a good position and in the end, under pressure, sent the ball over the top.
But near misses were forgotten in the wild excitement of Lynn's victory, and the thought of what Lynn's fate might be in the draw for the second round.
Lynn: Manning: Mackey. Brown: Neilson, Cleary, Johnson; Baxter, Luke, Dixon. Sewell, Lockey.
Aldershot: Brodie: Shipwright, Jackson; Griffiths, Hedge. Tyree; Matthews, Mundy, Pacey, Norris, Parnell.
Referee: Mr. I. R. Rosekilly (Uxbridge),
Attendance: 6,533.