Dorechester Town 3 King's Lynn 0
25th April 2002
THE Linnets did not have the consolation of a trophy on Thursday for their relegation heartache.
Dorchester, who Lynn will almost certainly face next season after the Magpies have just failed to win promotion, looked like a side on the up and fully deserved their cup success.
Lynn in contrast looked like a tired side short on confidence and ideas, resigned to their fate.
The Walks outfit had the first chance, Jamie Clarke glancing a header just wide of the base of keeper Mark Ormerod's right-hand post, as did Adie Hayes midway through the half.
However on five minutes man-of-the-match Justin Keeler burst down the left, taking advantage of Wayne Anderson looking like a fish out of water at right-back, and hit the post. From there Dorchester had the better of the tie. Unluckily for Lynn, the first goal arrived on 13 minutes. Simon Radcliffe also struck the post, but Phil Andrews nodded in the rebound from close range.
Lynn's Steve Wilson smartly saved from Keeler before Martin McNeil came on for the injured Steve Welsh.
McNeil's first action was to watch himself and two defenders beaten by Danny O'Hagan, who doubled the lead.
Early in the second half O'Hagan blazed over when well-placed, while Lynn forced their first corner only on 53 minutes. Then Brett McNamara put through Paul Watts, who was only denied a scoring chance by a last-ditch Martyn Sullivan tackle.
Stephen Harvey came on for McNeil and swapped with Anderson, which gave the midfield more bite.
But the hosts hit back on 75 minutes when sub Matt Groves beat the offside trap and Keeler smashed home his pinpoint cross.
A late response from Lynn saw David Staff's 25-yard lob drift a yard over the bar and Jamie March miss a header. So in the battle of the Morrises, it was home boss Mark Morris, not Lynn coach Peter Morris, who went home satisfied.
Dorchester 3 King's Lynn 0 (Dorchester win 4-0 on aggregate)
Lynn: Wilson, Staff, March, J. Deity (Watts h-t), Full, Welsh (McNeil 25 � Harvey 66), Anderson, Raynor, Clarke, McNamara, Hayes.
Dorchester: M. Ormerod, Jermyn (C. Poore 60), S. Radcliffe, M. White, M. Sullivan, A. Harris, J. Brown, M. Lonnon, D. O'Hagan (M. Holmes 66), P. Andrews (M. Groves 60), J. Keeler.
Referee: S. Tanner (Keynsham).
Bookings, Linnets: Defty (17, foul); Hayes (45, dissent); Raynor (83, free-kick taken too early); Clarke (88, foul).
Magpies: O'Hagan (9, dissent); Sullivan (33. dissent).