King's Lynn 1 Weymouth 2
19th September 1998
DEPLETED Lynn were left scratching their heads after losing a game they dominated. With nine players out injured manager Tony Spearing's makeshift side in fact did well to carve out a host of half-chances, but the Terras' finishing was more incisive.
The result came back to haunt Lynn after facing Weymouth in league action for the first time in 28 years. The Terras won by the same scoreline the last time they met at The Walks in the 1970/71 season..
Linnets will be disappointed with both the goals they conceded, which came after failing to close a down a free-kick and a schoolboy error.
"They've had a couple of' chances and scored from them," said a frustrated Spearing. "We've not had the rub of the green. We've had a blatant penalty turned down and were in no danger at all. To get turned over is hugely disappointing."
Of 18-year-old Paul Nichols' impressive full debut he said: "He's got a great attitude and should be proud of himself." Martin Magee was recalled from Fakenham to make his debut and immediately had a cross-shot go just over the bar. Corren Hardy had two chances from Micky Nuttell nod-ons but Weymouth took the lead against the run of play.
Paul Adcock laid a free-kick across to the unmarked Craig Mansell 25 yards out and his sweet 25 yarder sailed past Duncan Roberts. A furious Lynn penalty appeal was turned down but another foul on Hardy was upheld just before half-time. Just for good measure Alex Brown pushed him while Ian Hutchinson was booked for protesting. Nuttell remained cool to slot away the spot kick.
Linnets continued to threaten but an awful misunderstanding, when skipper Colin Hoyle headed back to Roberts as the keeper was already coming out for the ball, handed the game to Weymouth. It ran loose for David Laws to squeeze the ball home from an acute angle. Lynn: D Roberts, Nichols, Puttnam, Wright, Hoyle, G Roberts, Hardy, Magee, Nuttell, Stringfellow, Oakes (Delicata 34). Subs (not used) Defty, Gleave.
Weymouth: Myers, Gammon (Boulton 84), S Browne, A Browne, Waldock, Adcock, Robinson, Hutchinson (Powell 45), Birkby (Preston 71), Laws, Mansell.
| MATCH STATISTICS | Shots on Target | Shots off Target | Corners | Caught Offside | Free kicks Conceded |
Bookings |
| Lynn | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 14 | Hardy (20, foul) Magee (43, foul) |
| Weymouth | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 12 | Hutchinson (39, dissent) |