Burton Albion 0 King's Lynn 1

23rd January 1999

LINNETS gained only their second away league victory of the season with a winner nearly four minutes into injury time.
David Puttnam got the precious goal but the first player assistant manager Darren Gee and coach Tony Spearing rushed to congratulate after the match was Chuck Martini, who pulled off a string of top-drawer saves in a pulsating final 15 minutes.
Burton player-manager Nigel Clough said his late stop from Andy Garner was the best he'd seen.
Martini's acrobatics enabled Lynn to lift themselves off the foot of the table. However, the top billing of Linnets manager Gary Mills against former Nottingham Forest team-mate Clough never caught fire as the latter was marked out of the game by Paul Ramsey.
It all went to plan for Mills, who realised the importance of the match: "If they'd beaten us they would have been 15 points clear from us," he said. "It was vital we didn't lose. I know the system Burton play and to stop them I gave four man-to-man marking jobs. Mine was to stop Tony Marsden and Paul Ramsey's was to stop Clough.
"I would have been delighted with 0-0 anywhere away from home but I felt we deserved it. I'd already got the ball over the top to Dave (Puttnam) a couple of times and felt we had a chance. The lads sweated blood.
"Chuck was unbelievable as he hadn't had to make a save until the 70th minute. But that's what he's paid for. Glen Fuff did well and Colin Hoyle played well at full-back."
A reorganised Lynn defence coped well with Craig Clark at left-back and Fuff making their first appearances of the year. Fuff joined Dave Robinson in central defence and Hoyle was at right-back.
Neither side got a decent shot on target in an uninspiring first half, with Linnets' passes being far too strong.
A defensive mix-up let in Lee Allen for the best chance of the period but he took too long over his shot. The closest Albion went was Wayne Sutton's free-kick, which curled over.
Shortly after the break Ramsey -headed into the box and Mark Turner scuffed his volley which Goodwin saved on the line.
Allen was again presented with a gilt-edged chance but didn't realise how much time and space he had, and instead curled the ball inches wide of the far post from 20 yards.
In the last quarter-hour the match burst into life with Burton's first effort on target by Holmes brilliantly blocked by Martini and Mills cleared.
Home skipper Mark Blount played a delightful one-two with Holmes but Martini denied him and this time HoyIe scrambled it off the line.
Again Mills cleared over the top to find Puttnam racing through, but Goodwin got a hand to his chip and the ball bobbled on to the post. Then sub Garner was clean through ten yards out and the home fans went up fully expecting the winner, but Martini brought off a stunning, diving point-blank parry.
Deep into stoppage time came the turning point of the match. Martini saved from Matt Smith, Mills directed another clearance over the top to Puttnam who slipped the ball past the advancing keeper and saluted the travelling support.
Lynn: Martini, Hoyle, Clark, Robinson, Fuff, Mills, Turner, Ramsey (McGinty 86), Allen (Wilson 86), Palmer (Cotterell 65), Puttnam.
Burton Albion: Goodwin, Alsopp (Smith 76), Spooner, Marsden, Blount, Grocutt, Lyons, Sutton, Holmes, Clough, Webster (Garner 59). Subs (not used) Francis.

MATCH STATISTICS	Shots on Target	Shots off Target	Corners	Caught Offside	Free kicks Conceded	Bookings
Lynn	5	6	3	1	17	Robinson(10, kicking ball away)
Burton	5	6	11	5	8	Grocutt (29 foul)