King's Lynn 4 Team Bath 2
22nd October 2005
The Linnets moved back to third in the
table in a game which saw both teams reduced to 10 players at The Walks.A second half brace from Jack Defty and first half strikes from Danny Bloomfield and Matt O'Halloran saw Lynn to victory, with Team Bath replying twice in the final two minutes.
The visitors were the first to see red when Nick Hudson was dismissed for a professional foul on Bloomfield 16 minutes into the contest.
Lynn's James Bunn was the second player to receive his marching orders when, a minute from time, he left for an early bath after a reckless challenge on Kes Metitiri.
Linnets boss Tommy Taylor had no complaints about Bunn's sending-off, saying: "I think the tackle just came out of frustration.
"James had no need to make it as the ball was going out of play."
On his side's performance, Taylor said: "I was very disappointed how we conceded two late goals.
"We just didn't pick their players up and it gave the score a much closer look than what it actually was.
"To be honest we should have been five or six goals in the clear. Our first half tempo and passing was good, but it fell away after the break and we struggled to recover it.
"I thought Matt O'Halloran played for himself and not the team at times."
Lynn could have easily notched up a cricket score had they taken all of their first half opportunities.
The opening goal came eight minutes into the match when Dean West and Jack Defty combined for Bloomfield to slide the ball home.
Bloomfield was then denied by Darren Chitty's legs before being hauled back by Hudson when clean through on goal.
Jack Defty somehow contrived to screw a shot wide with the goal at his mercy before Higgs denied Marc Canham and Danny Maye from a Sean Canham corner in quick succession.
Lynn doubled their advantage when the impressive Adam Smith's shot was emphatically dispatched by O'Halloran on the volley 11 minutes before the break.
O'Halloran then hit the post soon after the restart following a fine pass from Sam McMahon before Defty chipped home Lynn's third in the 58th minute.
Defty completed Lynn's tally 13 minutes from the end after being picked out by Smith with a peach of a pass.
Two minutes from time Team Bath substitute Jake Reid grabbed the first of two quick consolation goals.
In the middle of Reid's quickfire brace was the dismissal of Bunn.
Lynn: Higgs, C. Defty (Harvey 59), Smith, McMahon, Cooper, Hammond, J. Defty, West, Camm, Bloomfield (Bunn 62), O'Halloran (Jones 90). Subs not used: O'Neil and Benstead.
Bath: D. Chitty, P. Tisdale, (D. Coppard 64), D. Maye, D. Smith, N. Hudson. K. Metitiri, S. Cook (D. Blake 59), M. Canham, A. Adams (J. Reid 64), S. Canham, J. Long. Not used: B. Cozic and J. Giles.
Attendance: 734.
Referee: M. Blackledge (Peterborough).
MoM: A. Smith.