King's Lynn 1 Team Bath 0
25th April 2007
ON Wednesday night the Linnets secured both third
spot in the BGB Southern League and semi-final home
advantage in the play-offs next Tuesday.Lynn fully deserved to win, although they could have made life easier for themselves by sealing victory earlier on. Matt O'Halloran was the main culprit, spurning half-a-dozen chances.
Team Bath showed little attacking intent beyond some dangerous dead-ball kicks – although with little in the match for them, and after an extra time county cup win the previous night, it's difficult to read much into their performance.
Linnets boss Keith Webb said: "We played well. I didn't think they'd be putting out their strongest team.
"We weren't taking anything for granted. They were lively, but I can't remember them having a shot on target.
"Matt O'Halloran is coming back to his best. If he had another couple of games, he probably would've put away a couple of those chances.
"The two lads in the centre of defence, Mark Warren and Greg Crane, were outstanding."
The Students began the game at a gallop, but The Walks outfit soon settled down and bossed the remainder of the night.
The opening chance fell to O'Halloran after being set up by Jack Defty and Andrew Fisk, but the winger volleyed over.
O'Halloran then fired wide and had a shot saved by the impressive keeper Darren Chitty, who denied Defty and a free-kick from Jamie Gould.
Team Bath threatened with a few corners, but they were dealt with by the solid Warren, who also put in a superb tackle to deny a goalscoring chance, and Crane.
Thirty seconds into the second half Matt Nolan's header at the near post was gathered by Chitty, who luckily saved with his legs when diving the wrong way from a Nolan penalty when the striker was fouled by Gonzalo Pereira in the 54th minute.
The important goal came in the 62nd minute following a fine move involving many players, which ended with a Mark Camm lob opening up the away defence for Defty to tap in simply at the far post.
Fisk and Matt O'Halloran were denied before Charlie Defty's first touch as a sub was a header which Chitty saved.
Late on Mark Heath-Preston fired just over as Lynn got a possible psychological advantage for the play-off final a week on Saturday, where they could again meet Team Bath.
Lynn: Howie, West, Blois, Warren, Crane, Fisk, O'Halloran (C. Defty 77), Camm, J. Defty (Bloomfield 86), Nolan (Heath-Preston 88), Gould. Not used: Hammond, Marshall.
Team Bath: Chitty, Townley, Lock, Abbott, Pereira, Metitiri, M. Canham, Saunders (Dillon 38), Williams, Bailey (Lopes 79), Waters. Not used: Tillson, Cooper.
Referee: P. Barnes (Peterborough). MoM: Andrew Fisk. Att: 785.