Bath City 0 King's Lynn 1
24th November 2001
ON-LOAN striker Danny Bloomfield made sure the Linnets tasted their first victory at Bath for 40 years and only their second ever win there.Bloomfield reacted quickest to stab home Jamie Clarke's header from a Simon Dakin free-kick in the 55th minute to ease a testing week for Lynn boss Tony Spearing.
It was the simplest of winners, but a valuable one for Spearing, whose side fully deserved their first league success for a month.
Player-coach Tommy Wright said: "It's been a hard week for Tony. He's been under a lot of strain and I've felt for him.
"Results haven't been good, but we had a good training session on Wednesday and had a long chat with the players.
Wright added: "They were mentally down after last Saturday's Folkestone defeat but we told them to keep believing in themselves and to be more mentally tough and they were just that today.
"We should have gone into the break with a lead, but still started the second-half brightly. That pleased me because heads could have dropped after we missed more chances."
A new 3-4-3 formation worked well for Lynn, while tenacious midfielder Wayne Anderson was back to his very best with a busy display in the middle of the park.
The only downside for the Walks outfit was Dave Robinson limping off the field just 44 minutes into his comeback with a re-occurrence of a hamstring problem. Robinson slotted back into the defence with ease, but there was still time for him to pick up a customary booking.
Lynn dominated the early stages and should have taken
a sixth minute lead when Bath keeper Mark Hervin took a leaf out of the Fabien Barthez coaching manual.
The Bath shot-stopper hit his clearance straight to the feet of Clarke, whose lob headed towards goal, before Hervin somehow scrambled back to turn the ball round his post.
Twelve minutes later, Adie Hayes' drive deflected off the boot of Gary Thorne and thundered against the post with Hervin well beaten.
Bath were denied by two smart Steve Wilson saves, but Lynn were largely in control.
Three minutes before the break Anderson climbed above the Bath defence only to head a Hayes free-kick inches wide of the target.
Lynn finally opened their account ten minutes into the second period, but the goal sparked Bath into life for the remainder of the match.
A last-gasp tackle from Jamie March denied Dave Watts on the hour when the Romans midfielder was just about to pull the trigger and four minutes later substitute James Zabek blazed over the bar after good work from Williams.
Former West Brom and Yeovil frontman Adrian Foster missed a further two chances for the home side.
Glen Fuff missed an ideal opportunity to seal the game in the 85th minute when he glanced Hayes' corner wide of the goal.
Bath: M. Hervin, G. Kemp, G. Powell (J. Hughes 82), G. Thorne, C. Towler, J. MacLean (J. Zabek 45), D. Watts (B. Thomas 88), N. Gillard, A. Foster, P. Milsom, A. Williams.
Lynn: Wilson, Dakin, March, Robinson (Clark 44), Fuff, Joseph, Anderson, Hayes, Bloomfield, Rowe, Clarke (White 88). Sub not used: Evans
Bookings, Lynn: Robinson (39, late challenge). Bath: Thorns (44, foul), Kemp (81, foul).
Referee: Roger East (Williton).
Attendance: 650
MoM: Wayne Anderson.