King's Lynn 3 Lincoln City 0
22nd July 2004
The Linnets put in a thoroughly encouraging display.Okay, it was not the Imps' first-choice team on Thursday).
But such was the way the League Two side were outplayed at times, the Linnets passing the ball around them, it was embarrassing.
Front pair Tony Battersby (his first for Lynn) and Danny Bloomfield (his first since coming back) scored, with triallist Dene Cropper marking a goal on his first Lynn appearance.
Cropper and Battersby: The Walks outfit have a touch of the Coronation Streets.
It was City who had the chance in the fifth minute, but home keeper Steve Wilson acrobatically tipped over.
Then it was mainly all-Lynn as triallist Mark Angel impressed on debut with his wing-play. Battersby, Bloomfield (twice) and Lee Stevenson had efforts saved before taking the lead midway through the opening half.
Battersby delightfully floated the ball over the defence and Bloomfield slid it past keeper Simon Raynor.
A quarter of an hour later a Stevenson cross/shot was parried and Battersby flicked it into the top of the net from an acute angle.
Following the inevitable rash of half-time substitutions, the game became disjointed before the hosts regained control.
Angel almost caught the keeper wrong-footed, while Carl Holmes volleyed an inviting ball over.
At the other end the advancing understudy Lynn keeper Aaron Osborne smothered Michael Frew's effort.
Robbie Harris went off concussed from a kick in the head. Cropper hit the side netting, had an effort turned around the post before deservedly backheading home over the keeper against his old club after a cross from Chris Bacon just before the end.
Lynn: Wilson, Camm, Setchell, Hammond, Burrows, Stevenson, Holmes, Fishlock, Battersby, Bloomfield, Angel. Subs: J. Defty, Cropper, Jones, Harris, C. Defty, Blake, Osborne, Bacon.
Goals: Bloomfield 23, Battersby 37, Cropper 86.
Lincoln: Raynor, Cook, Bell, Tyne, Foulkes, Gordon, Frecklington, McNamara, Kerley, Frew, Ryan. Subs: O'Boyle, Duffey, Loach, Clark, Metom, Christos.