King's Lynn 2 Newport County AFC 2
25th September 1999
MANAGER Gary Mills said the Linnets played their best football of the season, but again they dropped home points after being ahead.
Lynn, who at times played inspired football, were eight minutes away from ending Newport's unbeaten record but the visitors' Lee Brown completed his brace to deny them. The Linnets move up to seventh.
The Walks' biggest crowd of the season, topping the 1,000 mark for the first time, saw a pulsating game. Newport, who were well organised and dangerous on the break but content to come for a point, refused to buckle against the hosts' slick, skilful play.
"Saturday was the best we've played this season," said Mills. 'We should have won it, we were much the better side so it's disappointing we only got a point out of it. As I've said, we've got to kill off teams when we're creating chances.
"Then someone switched off to give them a free header at a corner and they've equalised. When we're playing so well we've got to win more games."
On the increased gate, Mills added: "Football's all about entertainment and I hope everyone's gone home happy."
It took Linnets until the 16th minute to carve out a chance, Dave Taylor firing wide after hesitation in the Exiles' defence.
Taylor, who had an excellent first half, then went up for a Mark Turner knock-down and the ball rebounded off him and just over the bar. Dave Puttnam set up Tony Spearing for a 25-yard scorcher which away keeper Pat Mountain could only parry.
Taylor put Puttnam through but Mountain saved quickly at his feet. Two minutes later Taylor split the defence with another fine throughball, Lee Wilson beat Mountain to it, but steered the ball wide.
When Jeremy Goss was dispossessed, Exiles broke to the other end and Roy Jordan forced home keeper Chuck Martini to tip around his post. Then on the half-hour, Brown stunned the hosts with a fantastic goal from nothing, curling into the top corner from 25 yards.
Linnets were not deterred. Mills. laid off to Puttnam, the keeper spilled the cross under pressure from Taylor and Wilson poked in his fourth goal of the season from 10 yards through a sea of legs. The excitement was not over for the half as Jordan hit the post.
Just after the break Mills Went close with a long-range volley while Newport's Mountain could only punch over a Puttnam thunderbolt.
Martini was called upon to make fine saves from Gary Smart and Danny Hill.
But Lynn took a deserved lead when Puttnam took a short corner to Mills on the edge of the box. His fierce drive was deflected in firstly off Bradley Thomas's boot, then Gary Kemp's head on the line.
Newport took advantage of a poor free-kick to race upfield and force a corner. Lynn went asleep, a header was blocked on the line and Brown stabbed in his second goal from close range. Shaun Keeble came on for the wilting Taylor and there was just enough time for a stunning Turner overhead kick to be smartly saved. Lynn: Martini, Dakin, Spearing, Robinson, Clark, Mills, Turner, Goss, Taylor (Keeble 87), Wilson, Puttnam. Subs (not used) Mardsen, Fuff.
Newport: Mountain, Thomas (Jackson 90), Dicks, Hill, Kemp, Hunt, Smart, Jordan (Flynn 70), Brown, Dale (Mainwaring 67), Clarke.
| MATCH STATISTICS | Shots on Target | Shots off Target | Corners | Caught Offside | Free kicks Conceded |
Bookings |
| Lynn | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | |
| Newport | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 11 | Clarke (64, foul) Hill (80, foul) |