Tonbridge Angels 2 King's Lynn 0
25th October 2003
A GOAL in each half ended this season's unbeaten away run for The Walks outfit.Linnets keeper Steve Wilson's first-half howler got the game off to the worst possible start, and Lynn could not regain the initiative sufficiently to haul back the deficit.
The result of this top-of-the-table clash leaves runaway leaders Tonbridge 14 points head of second-placed King's Lynn (who have two games in hand), and – on this evidence – that is too much of the proverbial mountain to climb for Lynn to close the gap.
Man-for-man Tonbridge did not have better players than King's Lynn.
But on the day they looked better-drilled defensively, used the width of the pitch more effectively and worked for each other as a team.
As the game wore on the Linnets had plenty of good possession around the hosts' penalty area, and used the flanks more.
But in front of the Dr Martens Eastern Division's biggest crowd so far this season, in open play they never seriously tested Angels' keeper Jamie Turner.
As for King's Lynn's keeper, well in the 17th minute Wilson jumped up for a high ball under no pressure and inexplicably dropped it.
He and desperate away defenders rushed back to retrieve the error, but it was Tonbridge's Ray Powell who scrambled the ball home.
Earlier, in the first three minutes King's Lynn's Jack Defty went close with a 20-yard shot and David Staff curled a free-kick which Turner collected.
That was it in the opening half as on-loan midfielder Mark Camm had an effort blocked by a defender as King's Lynn, playing down the middle third of the pitch, ran out of options and room on the attack.
Angels playmaker Hamid Barr, impressive in the first half, had a shot blocked by Glen Fuff, while Wilson turned a cross-hot around the post just before the break.
Afterwards Camm had some long-range efforts, included one that Turner saved at the second attempt, and he palmed away another Staff free-kick, but sub Malcolm Ndekwe's follow-up was blocked.
That was about it for the visitors, while Tonbridge made the game safe in the 70th minute with one of their few chances of that half.
A good breakaway down the left saw inspirational skipper Peter Overton's centre turned in at the far post by the Eastern Division's leading scorer Brendon Cass.
Former Linnet Lynden Rowland, carrying a knock, came on late and had little time to make his mark. Lynn: Wilson, Harvey (Woodrow 71), March, Burrows, Fuff, Defty, Camm, Raynor, Bacon (Ndekwe 71), Staff, Holmes. Subs not used: Glarvey, Heath-Preston.
Tonbridge: Turner, Beales, Roser, Dolby, Larkin, Royston, Tydeman, Overton, Powell (Piscina 84), Barr, Cass (Rowland 71). Not used: Wilson, Hodge.
Referee: C.T. Overall (Chadwell St Mary). Attendance: 781.
| MATCH STATISTICS | Shots on Target | Shots off Target | Corners | Caught Offside | Free kicks Conceded |
Bookings |
| Lynn | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 9 | Raynor (late challenge 14) |
| Tonbridge | 4 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 11 | Cass (late challenge 18). |