King's Lynn 6 Norwich City Reserves 3
20th April 1946
The final of the "Culey" cup, played at The Walks, Lynn, on Saturday, attracted the biggest crowd since before the war, the attendance being 2,554 and the receipts £98/8/-, Lynn Town had Norwich City Reserves as the visitors, and the result was a fine win for Lynn by 6-3 goals.
The cup was handed to the winners by Major Fred Wise, M.P.
Norwich City Reserves fielded a fast and youthful team led by the popular International, Furness.
Fakenbridge won the toss for Lynn and elected to defend the Hospital end goal, with the brilliant sun at their backs. Lynn immediately attacked on the right for Baldwin to cross beautifully, but Neil headed clear.
Three times within a minute Laughton, the City keeper, had to make great saves from Grantham, Murray and Baldwin. The Town were setting a hot pace against their well trained opponents.
In the 11th minute Newdick, racing through on the left, centred to Grantham, who scored a great goal to give the Town a well-deserved lead.
Stung by the early reverse, the City attacked hotly but the Lynn defence was in grand form and broke up many dangerous attacks.
Murray and Corbett were real schemers to the very fast Lynn front line, Murray's football in particular being of a very high standard.
Rackham next figured in a brilliant move with Martin but Fakenbridge cleared at the vital moment.
Corbett, receiving from Elflett, trapped the ball and beating Sutton, transferred to Murray. The latter found the net with a smart drive to give Lynn a two-goal lead.
The crowd showed their enthusiasm in no small manner.
Lynn were now showing great form - probably their best this season. It is difficult to single out any particular player as every man was giving his best.
Edwards was next brought into action and made two brilliant saves from Furness and Bayles. Sillis sent a long ball down to Baldwin, cutting in to beat Hammond, crashed the ball past Laughlin.
Almost in the next minute Sutton passed to Rackham who opened the City's account with a hard cross-shot - this was a brilliant goal.
Heartened by this Furness dribbled through and crashed a "snorter" against the Lynn post, it was a let off and Sillis managed to clear. Sillis again figured in the next move, in finding Newdick, and the winger met it with his head to deflect it past the helpless Laughlin. Half-time:
King's Lynn 4 City Reserves 1
Furness went to centre-half in the second half and immediately put the City on the attack. Edwards dealt in convincing style with shots from Saunders and Bayles.
Grantham, the Lynn centre forward, was a very lively leader and, racing through the middle, sent in a hard drive to add further to Lynn's lead.
The pace continued to be very fast and both ends were visited in turn, each keeper bringing off many brilliant saves. Bayles met a ball from Rackham to score the City's second goal.
Baldwin and Corbett, combining cleverly, beat the City defence and Grantham, taking the through pass from Corbett, . . . .
but was pulled up for offside. Corbett, sidestepping Sutton, passed to Grantham, who again sent in a real thunderbolt, but the keeper rose to the occasion in great style.
The City, although well beaten, never gave up and within a minute of the close Furness completed the scoring for Norwich with a smashing low drive, Edwards being unsighted. Result:
Lynn 6 Norwich City Res 3
Mr O L Davison, the Chairman of Lynn Town FC introduced Major Wise to both teams. Major Wise then presented the magnificent "Culey" cup to the veteran, but still brilliant, Fakenbridge, the Town captain, midst great cheering.
Lynn - E Edwards, E Sillis, F Fakenbridge, C Elflett, S Leake,, J Wilson, L Baldwin, J Corbett, N Grantham, B Murray, H Newdick.
City Res - E Laughlin, J Neal, R Hammond, C Farmer, E Sutton, Furness, D Rackham, G Martin, C Bayles, M Saunders, G Taylor.
The referee was Mr Hammond.