Hitchin Town 3 King's Lynn 0

22nd January 2002

THE Linnets were given a lesson in finishing as Hitchin became the second side to do the double over them this season.
Then their defending slipped as the Canaries knocked in three second half goals.
When with ten minutes to go, keeper Richard Wilmot sent a clearance hit Danny Bloomfield and rebounded back into arms, you knew it was not going to be The Walks outfit's day.
Manager Tommy Taylor said: "I was quite pleased with the way we played.
"We were defending alright, the midfield was fine, we were winning quite a few balls going forward, we got the ball out to Ludovic Quistin to take people on, but you've got to finish those chances.
"Holmesy should have scored with a header, Jack Defty should have scored; and when Ludo put in a cross Danny missed it and Jack miskicked it."
This ended a spell which saw Lynn waste chances to put their stamp on the game, and within a minute the hosts had scored.
"If we concede one goal we think oh, we're going to lose; instead, if it's still 1-0 you're never out of the game," said Taylor.
"But as soon as they chucked in the second goal that was it, we gave a cheap free-kick away and people don't pick people up."
Taylor agreed it was schoolboy defending for the goals: "I don't mind one, but three."
Looking at the Canaries' two-goal hero Darran Hay, Taylor added: "A centre forward who scores and puts other people in is what we need like that at the club."

On new midfielder Sam McMahon, who signed on Friday, Taylor said: "He did alright, he couldn't do any more than what he did."
Taylor switched the side a little with Mark Camm having a good game at centre-back and Defty playing up front.
Play was pretty even for the first half, the Canaries' massive keeper Wilmot saving well from Bloomfield and Jack Defty.
In the 24th minute keeper Jon Higgs, who kept his place from the midweek cup match, was fortunate to get away with a yellow rather than a red card when he was adjudged to have handled just outside his penalty area.
Higgs was preferred to Steve Wilson, one of only three players on the bench.
Then in the middle of a good home spell Shane Hill fired a free-kick over.
Higgs saved well with his legs at the beginning of the second half, then Lynn stepped up a gear.
However, Carl Holmes nodded wide, Defty volleyed over, a gilt-edged opportunity following a defensive error, Mark Angel placed an effort wide then came Bloomfield and Defty's gaping chance from Quistin's centre.
Hitchin went up the other end, Higgs raced out but did not get to the ball and Ieuan Lewis calmly slotted into the opposite corner of the empty net just before the hour mark.
Twelve minutes later Adam Jones gave away a silly free kick from which Hay volleyed home, and Lynn visibly deflated.
Near the end Bilal Hassan's effort was blocked and the ball ran to Hay, who notched his second to round off a flattering scoreline for Hitchin.
Hitchin: Wilmot, Baldry, McMenamin, Smith, Ayres, Cavill, Lamacraft, Hill, Hay, Lewis, Has san. Subs not used: Evans, Murray, McCulloch, Blower, Pore'
Scorers: Lewis 59, Hay 71, 82.
Lynn: Higgs, Jones, Blake McMahon, Hammond, Camm Defty. Hoes, Quistin (Bacon 741 Bloomfield, Angel. Not used Matthews, Wilson.
Booked: Higgs 27, Jones 71
Attendance: 941.
MoM: Mark Camm.