Erith & Belvedere 0 King's Lynn 5
17th February 2004
LEE Stevenson scored within seconds of making a return to the first team squad, while new boy Craig Fishlock was also on target as the Linnets romped to victory.Lynn have now completed two-thirds of the season a place and two points behind leaders Tonbridge, who have a game in hand.
The Walks outfit dominated the first 15 minutes, pinning the Kent side back, led 2-0 at the break, and it was a perfect response to Saturday's defeat.
"The moment we walked in the ground (Erith share at Welling), it's a good pitch and surroundings, we knew with the quality of players we've got that we'd win," said Lynn joint manager Kevin Boon.
"Saturday's pitch (where Lynn lost at Ashford) didn't suit us but it's something we've got to learn if we want a higher standard of football."
The former Bradford City young midfielder Fishlock was playing 'on spec' but his qualities were confirmed when he grabbed the first goal, on 40 minutes, taking over a free-kick from dead-ball specialist David Staff - who had gone close earlier - and calmly planting the ball around the 'wall' into the top corner.
Boon added: "We jumped in with the young lad, and our decision to play him proved to be a good one."
Midfielder Mark Camm was passed fit to play.
Staff hit the bar on five minutes, and Louie Evans had a long-range effort well-saved.
It was fouls on Carl Holmes that set up the first two goals, first Fishlock's, then a body check by Roberts in the home box earning a penalty in first-half injury time which Gary Setchell put away. Lynn earned some breathing space seven minutes after the break when Staff, who just been denied by the keeper, cut in from the right and unleashed a remarkable left-foot shot into the net – remarkable because Staff usually fires them in with his right.
Lynn custodian Steve Wilson had rarely been threatened, having a couple of saves to make as the visitors were coasting.
Three-quarters of the way through the game Stevenson wore a first team shirt for the first time in seven months following injury, and the supersub immediately headed home a super Staff cross. Three minutes afterwards Stevenson won a free-kick on the left and took it for Mark Burrows to head in unmarked past Hunt.
Lynn: Wilson, Jones, Setchell, Burrows, Fuff, Fishlock (Woodrow 80), Defty (Stevenson 67), Holmes, Staff, Evans (Harris 54), Camm. Subs not used: Hammond, Nobes. Goals: Fishlock 40, Setchell 45 pen, Staff 52, Stevenson 68, Burrows 71.
Erith: Hunt, Roberts, Penfold, Saunders, Gibson, Briggs (Whitehouse 70), Horan, Vercesi, Adams, Sodje (Paine 53), Abbott (Winchcombe 70). Not used: Tarrant, Seitsonen.
Referee: S. Chittenden (St Albans). Attendance: 145.
| FACTfile | Shots on Target | Shots off Target | Corners | Caught Offside | Free kicks Conceded |
Bookings |
| Lynn | 10 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 14 | Setchell (42 foul) Burrows (80 foul) |
| Erith | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 13 | Penfold (39 foul) Horan (44 foul) Roberts (45 foul) |
| Lynn News Man of the Match - the team | ||||||