Maldon Town 2 King's Lynn 3
18th September 2004
AARON Osborne was the Linnets hero, the keeper saving a penalty in a commanding performance as Lynn progressed in their first game in this year's competition.
Lynn were down to the defensive bare bones, with Mark Burrows leaving the club, Gary Setchell and Danny Hammond injured, while Lynn had no cup clearance from Cambridge Utd to play Brady Stone.
Therefore Mark Camm added to his increasing number of roles in the team to play alongside Adam Jones at centre-back.
Camm and Osborne were outstanding, while Robbie Harris had a very good first half.
Caretaker boss Robert Taylor said: "I was forced to make adjustments. I moved Cammy to centre back as I thought his experience and leadership would help us at the back.
"He did very well, as did Aaron in goal.
"The boys showed guts and determination to go out there and grind out a result.
"They wasn't happy after the game as they know they didn't keep the ball as well as they could have done in the second half."
The visitors got a flying start on four minutes. Daryl Sutch began a move involving Harris and Danny Bloomfield playing neat triangles for Carl Holmes to burst just inside the box and fire home a good shot.
Both keepers were in action during the next five minutes, Osborne saving from Parker and Mark Angel's right-foot effort denied by Catley, who then foiled Tony Battersby's run down the middle.
At the other end, the unmarked Noble headed wide a corner, but after 42 minutes Lynn doubled their advantage.
Battersby broke down the right, Bloomfield's header was brilliantly saved but Harris smashed in the loose ball.
Maldon had the wind advantage in the second half and peppered Osborne's area, but the reserve Lynn keeper in his second game for the first team was up to the task, claiming everything.
Early in the half he dived to his left to save from penalty specialist Smith when a free-kick hit Sutch on the arm.
Both sides traded chances before Bell headed home a free-kick on 65 minutes, then Parker almost got an equaliser when he hit the base of the post.
With 15 minutes remaining a build up involving Nicky Blake and Holmes was finished from an angle by Battersby to make it 3-1.
The Essex men gave themselves a lifeline when sub Simpson successfully converted a penalty when Jones was penalised for pushing Noble.
However, Lynn weathered the storm in the last ten minutes to go through, while Town's manager Colin Wallington was sent from the dugout for comments made to the assistant referee.
Maldon: Catley, Bell, Smith, Shade, Goodacre, Coe, Whelkdale, Parrot (Budge 89), Noble, Parker (Rugg 88), Huntley (Simpson 76). Not used: Tomlinson, Windows.
Lynn: Osborne, Sutch, Blake, Fishlock, Jones, Camm, Harris (Heath-Preston 75), Holmes, Battersby, Bloomfield (Bacon 75), Angel. Subs not used: J. Defty, Foley, Higgs.
Att: 287. Referee: J. Steele (Ely).
| FACTfile | Shots on Target | Shots off Target | Corners | Caught Offside | Free kicks Conceded |
| Lynn | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 22 |
| Maldon | 6 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 15 |
| Lynn News Man of the Match - Aaron Osborne | |||||