Wisbech Town 3 King's Lynn 3
25th April 1962
From a compact and penetrative side that was full value for its three goal lead after 40 minutes' play. King's Lynn fizzled out n this second leg of the Culey Cup at Fenland Park on Wednesday night, and in the end were fortunate to escape with a division of the spoils. On aggregate, of course, they clinched matters by a three goal margin at the Walks earlier this month.
The transformation was complete and decisive from the moment - 30 seconds from the interval - when Fitzsimmons rammed home a penalty after Wilson had floored Colin Flatt the Wisbech left winger.
This goal, incidentally, came when Wisbech were a man short, Graham Lawrence, their lanky centre-half having left the field in the 38th minute with tear inside the lip.
Lawrence returned immediately after the game restarted with the Fenmen trailing three-one.
In the second period, Lawrence moved to left half with Brian Jayes taking the middle spot. Within two minutes Wisbech were in the game for keeps as Keilty put Marshall through for their second goal.
Most of the pressure was concentrated at the Lynn end for a long spell, with the Wisbech forwards showing much more life, and in the 76th minute they drew level as Marshall rounded off excellent work by Keilty and Kiddle.
The Linnets then had a temporary spasm in which Jayes was fortunate to kick off the line as a Bacon free kick floated past Chandler, and there was another near miss as Coates plied Stevens, only for Chandler to push the ball over the top.
The Wisbech spurt had lost much of its impetus, and left winger Hall was nearly through in the closing minutes but for Lawrence's timely tackle.
Another dangerous situation developed when Macdonald and Flatt were involved in a misunderstanding and allowed Bacon to race through, but his shot flew over the crossbar.
On balance there was little between them, but Lynn's second half fade-out was in attack was puzzling to say the least.
In that splendid first half, Stevens playing grandly, keeping his line moving by intelligent use of the open space, while Coates who scored two (36th and 40th) made up a dangerous partnership with the lively Bacon who kept Macdonald on the run
Wright and hall on the Lynn left flank made up a line that missed little in the first half from the moment when Stevens headed a picture goal from a precise Bacon cross with only 90 seconds of the game having elapsed.
Bone worked tirelessly in the Lynn rearguard which only lost its grip in that Wisbech fight back. But the defender who took the eye most was right-half Lumley. In the first half particularly, he opened out the game by excellent use of the through ball and was always on hand to stem the weak thrusts of the Fenmen.
Manning, in the Lynn goal, never looked in serious trouble during the opening spell, and dealt competently with the few threats that came his way before the penalty crossed his line.
For an end of season game, few would deny that it had many entertaining moments, and was brought out of the mediocre by a sudden change in Wisbech ideas when everything pointed to an overwhelming win for the Linnets.
Wisbech Town: Chandler; Phillips, Macdonald; Turner, Lawrence, Jayes; Kiddle, Fitzsimmons, Marshall, Keilty, Flatt.
King's Lynn: Manning; Wilson, Johnson; Lumley, Bone, Garrett; Bacon, Coates, Stevens, Wright, Hall.
Referee: D. J. Lewis (March). Attendance: 1,198.