Stamford 1 King's Lynn 2
21st November 2006
ALAN Hansen must be sick by now of his Match Of The Day statement: "You can't win anything with kids."Lynn were the latest side to prove him wrong on Tuesday as a mainly reserve team, half of whom were making their first senior team starts, put up a super performance.
Only keeper John Higgs, who pulled off some good saves, has extensive Linnets first team experience, and he was supplemented by recent recruits Greg Crane, Fraser Toms and Rob Norris.
Reserves joint boss Matty Henman, in charge for the night, said: "It was good experience for us. Hopefully Dean West and Shaun Carey will go away thinking they'll have no problems if they have to call anyone up from the Reserves.
"We switched Rob around in midfield and we were much better in the second half."
Ex-Linnet Mark Angel, also on loan to Ridgeons League Premier Division club Wisbech Town, was behind all that the Daniels did well in the first half. Taylor hit the bar, and new signing from Buckingham Richard Smith should have done better with a header.
Ex-Linnet Robbie Harris nodded the Daniels ahead on 40 minutes from an Angel cross.
Angel should then have been sent-off, but was merely booked for a tackle on Jack Redhead, who was carried off. His replacement was Martin Rudd (son of Reserves joint boss Keith), thus becoming the 12th father-and-son combination for the first team.
But two goals in two minutes just before the hour mark won it - firstly Sam Gaughran from close range after a Norris cross (his first senior strike).
Then Rob Norris cut inside and unleashed from 20 yards to register Lynn's 50th goal in all competitions this season.
Stamford: Pledger, Taylor, Neil, Matthews, Julian, Childs, Harris (Wilson 62), Kennedy, Smith (Wormall 70), Turner, Angel. Not used: Marshall, Hardy, O'Dea.
Lynn: Higgs, Buhlemann, Cussons, Gaughran, Crane, Miller, Redhead (Rudd h-t), Harvey, Fell, Norris, Toms (Bond 75). Not used: McAnally.
Att: 139. Ref: Steve Moss (Boston). MoM: Greg Crane.