King's Lynn 0 Hereford 0
20th November 1971
A tremendous defensive display against Hereford's free-scoring attack has kept alive Lynn's interest in the FA Cup.
The tie now goes to a replay at Hereford tomorrow and if Lynn's back row put up a similar performance it should be another thrilling affair.
Few non-league sides could have survived the searing display put up by Hereford, but Lynn's back row stuck determinedly to the task brilliantly led by Gary Steel.
He pulled off a string of superb saves from the first minute to the last and his confidence rubbed off on the four stalwarts in front of him. Robinson and Painter were solid in the middle, with Radcliffe and Kerr safely guarding the wings.
Lynn's defence have had a fair bit of criticism against them in some matches this season, but Saturday's display showed that they contain the best when all four hit form together. For my money pick of the bunch was Peter Robinson who had his best game since joining the club.
Luck favours the brave, so the saying goes, and it was true for Lynn with three Hereford efforts smacking against the woodwork and rebounding into play.
In midfield Lynn did not get much control until late in the game, while the front four were often funnelling back to help out that their attacking qualities were limited. But Lynn pieced together enough moves to show that he experienced Hereford defence can be taken on and opened.
Team manager Mick Wright said just after the game: "I thought it was a fair result and I do not think we could have played better than we did. Early on I thought that one goal either way would have decided the game.
"Garry was back to form today and I thought our defence played very well."
Hereford gave warning of their attacking policy with a fiery start. Two corners came in as many minutes and a shot from Jones hit the post.
The thin layer of snow was a great leveller, but Hereford - among the top three non-league sides in the country - were probing for gaps with some polished football.
In Lynn's first raid a low cross from Clarke skidded across goal and Griffiths cleared as Rudd moved in. Griffiths then went upfield on the overlap and his 30-yard shot deceived Steel, hitting the angle of the bar and post.
Clarke and Rudd showed they could cause problems in getting into the right place at the right time to meet some dangerous centres and they both had headers which went close to Potter's goal.
Dudley Tyler valued at £10,000 by Hereford was a livewire linking midfield with attack and when he went darting through Steel bravely saved at his feet.
Early in the second half Tyler gain found a gap and Steel went full length to keep out his shot.
On the hour Meadows hit a fierce drive which hit the underside of the bar. The ball rebounded straight to Owen who could not get in a shot.
A free-kick outside the area saw Hereford fall back but Rickett's clever chip found Wright who headed on and Potter snatched the ball away from Bloxham. A minute from time Rudd caught the Hereford defence exposed with a through pass for Lindsay to chase and only a timely tackle by the fast-covering Griffiths saved the danger.
Lynn: Steel, Radcliffe, Kerr, Robinson, Painter, Wright, Ricketts, Clarke, Lindsay, Rudd, Bloxham. (Sub: Stewart).
Hereford: Potter, Griffiths, Mallender, Jones, McLaughlin, Addison, Gough, Tyler, Meadows, Owen, Radford. (Sub: Tucker).
Attendance: 2,474