King's Lynn 2 Cirencester 0
18th November 2006
The news that Adam Smith would be imminently moving to
Peterborough United failed to put a dampener on the
Linnets, who registered a fine victory and display.A stunning strike from another shining star in The Walks firmament, Michael Frew, and another from new recruit Steve Melton, were enough to beat a game and in-form Cirencester outfit. Lynn could even afford to miss a penalty.
It was an emotional departure (see back page) for the popular diminutive Smith, who earned a standing ovation when being substituted near the end.
Caretaker boss Shaun Carey said: "We wanted to give him a proper send-off. We wish him all the best.
"He was quite emotional, and really feels for the club.
"When there's a contract waiting for him on Monday (at Peterborough), he's given it 100 per cent for the club. He phoned me in the week and still said he wanted to play."
Carey added: "If we close teams down and pass the ball quickly, we'll destroy teams.
"We had a blip for ten minutes in the first half, with kamikaze football. It was 'we have a chance, now you have a chance'.
"In the second half we were outstanding. We kept it solid at the back and looked comfortable.
"We missed three or four sitters, and missed a penalty, but if we keep clean sheets, there are so many in the team who can score."
On Smith's replacement, Carey said: "I'm looking at a left-back on Tuesday night. We've got the option of putting Mark Camm back there, with Charlie Defty being on a course." On scorer Melton, Carey said: "Steve works so hard, and has got an eye for goal."
Lynn's biggest Walks crowd of the season – for another two weeks at least – was fuelled by the lure of the purchase of FA Cup second round tickets, and any casual fans would have been thrilled with an end-to-end first half.
Jack Defty, Frew and Sam McMahon all had early chances before Frew had one saved and away defender Oliver Holder handballed when trying to clear.
But Frew weakly put the resulting ninth-minute penalty (identical to Mark Warren's miss the week previously) to keeper Kevin Sawyer's right for a comfortable save.
Cirencester also had their chances, Shaun Marshall coming to the rescue most notably from Scott Griffin, and Dean West had to hack the loose ball off the line.
Frew could have had a hat-trick by the half-hour mark, but put away his most difficult chance in the 31st minute with a magic left-foot volley from 20 yards into the corner of the net.
Ferenc Puskas, the legendary Hungarian with a deadly left peg who died on Friday, would have been proud.
Ten minutes into the second half Defty had a header from a corner saved, and Melton fired into the roof of the net to double the advantage.
Frew blazed over when set up by sub Matt Nolan on 72 minutes after a trademark Smith free-kick, while Matt O'Halloran caught the blazing-over bug soon afterwards.
Warren had a header blocked by Sawyer on the line as Lynn finished with flourish, enabling Smith to have a proper send-off.
Lynn: Marshall, West, Smith (Norris 90), Warren, Cooper, Camm, J. Defty (Nolan 71), McMahon, Frew, Melton, O'Halloran (Notman 83). Subs not used: Higgs, Crane. Goals: Frew 31min, Melton 55.
Cirencester: Sawyer, Smith, Regis (Hall 69), Leigh, Holder, Molyneaux, Richards, Jackson, Symons, Griffin (Etheridge 69), Cowe. Not used: Rogers.
Attendance: 1,471. Referee: P. McCaul (Hunts). MoM: Michael Frew.