Bashley 1 King's Lynn 1
18th August 2007
A serious injury to defender Greg Grane soured
Lynn's opening day 1-1 draw at Bashley on Saturday.Linnets striker Michael Frew rescued a point for his side with a late header, but the main talking point was the departure of Crane, who was stretchered off in the second half.
The towering centre-half fell awkwardly on his ankle six minutes into the second period after venturing forward for a Lynn corner and suffered damage to his ankle ligaments as a result.
Linnets boss Keith Webb said: "We're going to be without Greg for a few weeks at least.
"His ankle is like a balloon and I'd say that he'll be out for a minimum of four weeks."
Webb was delighted with Lynn's opening point, which arrived after Frew was left unmarked to meet substitute Matt O'Halloran's corner from the left in the 82nd minute.
"It was a battle and this isn't an easy place to come," admitted Webb.
"Bashley's front two were a real handful and will cause many teams a problem throughout the season.
"I don't know if Bashley can play a lot better, but I know we can and that fills me with a lot of confidence."
Lynn's hero Frew said: "It was nice to get off the mark from a personal point of view and it was important that we got something from the match with our first six games being away from home."
Lynn had been forced to re-shuffle their pack before kick-off with defender Ben Chapman (calf) and Jack Defty (back) both sidelined.
The ever-reliable Charlie Defty was rewarded with a start at left-back, while utility player Greg Lake, signed by the club on Friday, had to be content with a place on the bench.
Bashley made the brighter start with Richard Gillespie – scorer of 41 goals last season – a constant thorn in their side, along with Justin Keeler out wide.
Matt Parnell thumped a header over the bar, while Gillespie twice came close to giving the hosts the lead.
Lynn's best chance came in the 42nd minute when Joe Francis curled a free-kick inches wide of the target.
Bashley took the lead on the stroke of half-time, when Gillespie nodded home a Craig Davis corner.
Chances were few and far between in the second half as the game turned into a scrappy and niggly affair.
The introduction of Matt O'Halloran in the 64th minute gave Lynn a new lease of life.
O'Halloran saw his header cannon off a Bashley defender after good work by Francis on the left.
Gillespie drove a shot wide as the game entered the last 15 minutes, while O'Halloran's free kick was deflected behind for a disputed corner six minutes from time.
But from the resulting corner, the former Boston United wideman delivered the cross for Frew to level matters – much to the delight of the Lynn travelling contingent.
Bashley: Elm, Gazzard, Ferrett, Castle, Parnell, Knowles, Keeler, Davis, Moss (Tarr 87), Gillespie, Wakefield.
Unused subs: Morant, Keeping, Riley, Harper. Bookings: Ferrett, Castle, Keeler.
Lynn: Howie, West, Defty, Warren, Crane (Lake 52), Camm, Frew, Melton, Nolan (O'Halloran 64), Turner, Francis (Bloomfield 74). Unused subs: Fisk, Murray. Bookings: Lake, Francis.
Referee: A. Biddulph, (Nether Wallop). Attendance: 298. MoM: Michael Frew.