King's Lynn 3 Stafford Rangers 2
22nd November 2008
THE Linnets won the first bout (the teams are back at The Walks for a league game next Saturday) and '4,000 prize-money thanks to loan defender Bradley Thomas's first goal for the club.
Lynn threw away a two-goal lead for the second successive game, but Thomas ' in for Greg Crane, who was dropped to the bench ' struck in the second half to send them through.
Lynn boss Keith Webb said: "It was good to see Bradley on the scoresheet. Apart from a five-to-ten minute spell, he did really well.
"Frewy and Julian Joachim have started to form a good partnership, and they were pacy.
"The midfield created chances, and it was good to get back on the winning trail.
"They pulled one back just before half-time, which is always a good time to score.
"At half-time we said to the players what we wanted to do, it was important to get another, but all of a sudden the situation is the exact opposite.
"One or two of the refereeing decisions were questionable and caused some dodgy moments."
After just 35 seconds Michael Frew ran through from a ball by Ben Sedgemore, but was denied when away keeper Danny Alcock tipped the ball over the bar.
Marc Grocott had Rangers' first chance of the tie when he spooned over at an 11th-minute corner.
But Lynn took the lead on 18 minutes when great work by John Turner in winning the ball and crossing from the right to Julian Joachim, who half-volleyed into the top of the net an excellent finish from ten yards.
With Lynn in control of the first half, Frew almost doubled the advantage with a powerful header which was inches over the top.
Just before the half-hour mark a free-kick by the visitors' Bobby Wilson was blocked by the Lynn wall, and the follow-up went wide.
It was 2-0 in the 42nd minute as Frew centred a free-kick from the Lynn right, and the diving Simon Weaver headed home.
But in the 45th minute a good strike by Carl Palmer from 20 yards found the top corner of Scott Howie's net.
It got worse for Lynn as 95 seconds after the restart they did not get a chance to clear a ball from the right before substitute Mark McGee was the first to react, turning and shooting home to level.
Thomas nearly replied immediately, but Alcock dived to save from a low header.
But he made no mistake after 55 minutes as he scrambled home a loose ball from a corner.
With the crowd buzzing, it turned into a typical frenetic, uncontrolled blood-and-thunder cup tie ' with no cards shown.
Palmer shot over from 20 yards, while David McNiven sent a contentious free-kick just over and wide.
Joachim was denied a goal-scoring chance by a last ditch tackle from Wilson on the hour and Mark Camm volleyed over.
But Stafford's McNiven will rue their best chance, taking advantage of a defensive lapse that sent him clean through, but he drilled wastefully wide.
Lynn: Howie, Weaver, Chapman, Graham, Thomas, Camm, Turner (Fisk 76), Mitchell, Frew, Joachim, Sedgemore. Subs not used: Bloomfield, Crane, C. Defty, Murray.
Stafford Rangers: Alcock, Francis, Cullingworth, Ingram (Magee 44), Daniel, Wilson, Palmer, Grocott, McNiven (Proffitt 80), MacPherson, Phillips. Not used: Amos, Jones, Allen.
Referee: M.C. Dexter (Leicester). Attendance: 749