King's Lynn 2 AFC Sudbury 1
23rd October 2007
Sub Matt Nolan got the winner on Tuesday deep
into injury time to rescue the Linnets from
another poor performance against their
lower-ranked Suffolk rivals. Earlier Danny Bloomfield scored before AFC Sudbury levelled in the first half of a disappointing game.
Lynn boss Keith Webb said: "The performance wasn't the best. We didn't retain the ball well enough.
"It was important to get through, that was the main thing. There'll be plenty of better teams who'll fall foul of a lower team in this cup.
"We've been playing well up until the Halesowen game.
"We're going through a dodgy spell. As long as the players remain honest, we'll get through it."
Lynn took the lead on six minutes when a John Turner effort could only be blocked by keeper Nathan Munson and Bloomfield slotted in the rebound from six yards.
Michael Frew cut in and had a shot saved. But on 24 minutes James Rowe beat Dean West twice on the wing and crossed for skipper David Head to head home. West crossed for Turner's header to skim the bar on 35 minutes.
In the second half AFC controlled the game as the home midfield went missing. Bloomfield vented his frustration at the lack of support and big gap behind him.
A good ball from Mark Heath-Preston found Frew, whose lob just looped over, then Frew's header was cleared from near the line by Matty Stace.
If Sudbury had shown just a touch more ambition, they could have won the game.
In fact, they almost did in the dying seconds. Scott Howie was penalised for picking up a back pass.
The visitors thus had a free-kick about ten yards out. With defenders crowded on the goal line, Howie made amends with a superb parry from Rowe's fierce strike.
The Walks outfit went up the other end, the ball was never really cleared, and four minutes into injury time Nolan headed home a Ben Chapman cross past a stranded Munson to put a relieved Lynn into the next round to host Billericay.
The low crowd of 571 was spared another half hour and possible penalties – the majority who stayed away had made a good choice.
Lynn have won two out of three meetings with Billericay, who they last faced in the FA Trophy in 2003-04, Lynn winning 2-0 before going out to Exeter City.
Lynn: Howie, West, Chapman, Fleming, Crane, Camm, Frew, Fisk (C. Defty 84), Turner (Nolan 63), Bloomfield (Heath-Preston 73), Francis. Subs not used: Murray, Lake. Booked: Fisk.
AFC: Munson, Driver (S. Head 44), Wardley, P. Smith, Girling, Stace, Heath, D. Head, Bacon, Rowe, Hammond. Not used: Tracey, Rayner, Batell, N. Smith.
Att: 571. Referee: S. Feerick (Peterborough).
Stats, Lynn first – first half: Shots on target 4, 2; off target 2, 0; corners 2, 1; offside 2, 2; free-kicks 5, 10. Second half: Shots on target 2, 1; off target 3, 2; corners 1, 0; offside 1, 5; free-kicks 5, 10.