Corby Town 1 King's Lynn 1
21st December 2002
LINNETS manager Peter Morris said the tackle which put Chris Bacon out of the game early on deserved a red card.Morris was relieved to see his walking wounded escape with a point and without any more injuries, with the influential David Staff also limping off by the half-hour mark.
Former Lynn striker Wayne Spencer put the Steelmen ahead early on, but youngster Robbie Harris equalised midway through the second half.
Corby, who had already lost 4-1 at The Walks, clearly wanted to prove a point in a bruising game.
Bacon got a gash on the shin, and Morris said: "That tackle was horrendous, the referee gave him a yellow but the fellow-should have gone. It was very late and straight through him.
"Staffy's injury was from a block, that's part of the game, and he turned his knee.
"We've got to play better than that and got to deal with the roughhouse stuff, which I think put one or two lads off their game. The first half-hour they were jumping out of the way of flying tackles.
"But we were left with four influential players out, with midfielders Carl Holmes injured and Paul Raynor suspended. "It was a silly goal to give away but Robbie came on and he always seems to sniff goals out."
Lewis Blois made a surprise return in a depleted midfield on a foggy day. But it was surprisingly the defence the most settled part of the side: which let The Walks outfit down in the seventh minute.
A mix-up between keeper Dean Greygoose and centre-back Mark Burrows allowed Wayne Spencer to tip the ball over Greygoose and into the net.
Greygoose saved from Jamie O'Neill with his feet, but the home striker wasted the rebound.
Lynn could not make any impression until the second half, and two minutes in sub Paul Watts' header was saved well by Steelmen keeper Richard Lavin.
But within five minutes of coming off the bench, Harris converted a cross from fellow sub Pablo Ortega.
The visitors had a few more chances, Jack Defty shooting straight at Lavin. Then as Lynn forced some late corners, Burrows and Adam Weston went close. Lynn: Greygoose, Jones, Cowling, Burrows, Fuff, Defty, Weston, Blois (Harris 63), Bacon (Ortega 18), Stephenson, Staff (Watts 29). Subs not used: Harvey, Dobrowolski.
Corby: Lavin, Kennedy, Marshall, Brown (Clark 80), Hawthorn, Carson (Glass 45) , Maddox, Marlon, Le Mesurier, Spencer (Hutchinson 75), O'Neill.
Referee: 1. Williamson (Berkshire). Bookings, Linnets: Watts, Fuff; Corby: Brown, Hawthorn, Spencer.