RS Southampton 2 King's Lynn 2

26th January 1985

BOTH SIDES without a game since New Year's Day, set up a cracking pace right from the start and it was the Linnets who took the lead after four minutes from the penalty spot.
Clive Adams broke up an attack and sent a superb through ball past the home defence for Kevin Ready to race on to.
Goalkeeper Moore went down in attempting to save, but brought down Lynn's top scorer and referee Burns pointed to the spot.
Ready's spot kick was blocked by Moore at full stretch, but from the resulting rebound, Ready followed up to score his 29th goal of the season.
The home side, rocked by this reverse, fought back but the Linnets' defence held firm although debut player Ian Wood was booked after 15 minutes for dissent.
RS Southampton - the initials stand for Road Sea, a freight company - were being continually frustrated by the Lynn offside trap which was well marshalled by wood and Adams. Their first real threat only came after 21 minutes when Mooney headed down White's cross, but Andy Claxton was down quickly to save at the feet of Earls.
Lynn were lucky five minutes later when Dowding sprang the offside trap and burst through, but as Claxton narrowed the angle the winger shot hurriedly wide.
Road Sea were having their best spell and in the 30th minute Freddie Easthall cleared Bennett's powerful header off the line and Adams completed the clearance.
The home side were not to be denied, however, and equalised in the 34th minute when Mooney, making his debut after signing from Torquay United, headed Bennett's cross past Claxton.

A minute later Lynn went back in front when Claxton's long clearance deceived Bennett and Cleveland and Martin Twigger's powerful shot gave home goalkeeper Moore no chance.
Early second half play was very scrappy with neither side able to find their rhythm and both defences were well on top. Road Sea equalised after 71 minutes when Earles was floored in the penalty area by Adams and the former Reading striker scored with a powerful effort from the spot.
Lynn fought back and in the 75th minute Twigger put Martin Coupe clear down the left but his powerful cross which beat the home defence also beat Ready who was unable to turn it in. Mario Ippolitto replaced Twigger with just ten minutes to go, but it was Road Sea who came nearest to snatching victory with two late efforts.
Claxton brilliantly turned a Mooney effort round the post in the 87th minute and with almost the last kick of the game White's powerful cross from the edge of the area hit the crossbar but luckily for Lynn the ball bounced down and into the arms of Claxton.
So the Linnets managed to stretch their Southern League unbeaten run to ten games (and 24 games in all against non-League opposition).
And in fact it was a useful result against the South Coast side who themselves have lost only once in ten games. In that run they have beaten' leaders Willenhall and also Fisher Athletic.
Manager Colin Foster was disappointed that the Linnets had let the game slip after being 2-1 in front, but added; "Perhaps towards the end we were happy to get a draw out of it."
He thought that Freddie Easthall and Tim Gale had stood out while Wood had made a useful debut.

RS Southampton: Moore, P. Young, Bennett, Cleveland, Farmer, Baxter, D. Young, Dowding, Earles, Mooney, White, sub Thacker.
Lynn: Claxton, Mercer, Wood, Adams, Easthall; Gale. Foster, Hines, Coupe. Twigger (sub Ippolitto 80 mins), Ready.
Referee: Mr B. Burns (Eastleigh).