King's Lynn 1 Wellingborough 0
26th February 2011
JOINT Linnets boss Gary Setchell admitted Wellingborough had given his side an almighty scare before Ross Watson's whining strike midway through the second half. Watson drilled home his first goal in Lynn colours from Jamie Thurlbourne's set-piece to spark wild scenes of celebration among players and fans alike as Lynn maintained the pressure on league leaders St Neots.
Setchell told the Lynn. News: "It was one of our hardest home games of the season without a shadow of a doubt and you have to give a great deal of credit to Wellingborough for that.
"Before today Wellingborough had won ten on the spin and they came here and had a right go at us.
"We were lucky to go into half-time at 0-0 as they had all of the play in the first 20 minutes and were a lot sharper than us in the conditions. "But as bad as we were first half, I thought we really took the game to them in the second period and put them on the back foot."
Setchell added: "Leagues are won and lost on days like today and on pitches like that. We got the three points we needed and now go into the game at Raunds looking for another three."
On a filthy day for football, both teams gave their all on a rain-sodden pitch, which added to the entertainment. Dan Surridge had two early chances to put the visitors ahead as The Doughboys adapted to the muddy conditions better than their hosts while, later in the half, Michael Boyle-Chong's effort beat the advancing Alex Street but got stuck in the mud near the goalline before the ball was scrambled clear. The Linnets were a different proposition after the interval with wideman Jamie Thurlbourne the chief tormentor with a number of delicious crosses.
It was from one of these, a free-kick in the 67th minute, that Watson smashed the ball home at the second attempt. Late on, Street produced a brilliant save to deny Ben Johnson from close range. Before the game, the club placed youngster Luke Thurlbourne on a two-anda-half-year contract, keeping him at The Walks until the end of the 2013 season. Thurlbourne, 19, joins teenage keener Alex Street. brother Jamie Thurlbourne, Pat Bexfield and Ross Watson in pledging their futures to the Linnets.
Joint boss Setchell said: "Putting Luke on contract with the other four players really puts the club in a good position as we now have five players under the age of 22 who have committed their futures to the club and we can build around them.
"Luke came to the club with a reputation of being a bad lad but he has been first class with us all along.
"As a footballer you've got to look what he does and gives the team and sometimes you tend to forget that he is only 19.
"Some of the goals he has scored this season have been special and he has been a key part of the side.
"In the next year or two he could out-grow King's Lynn as a player as he's that good. I think Luke is that good he could have played a part in the old King's Lynn team."
King's Lynn Town: Street, Doherty, Alsop, Luke Thurlbourne, Buhlemann, Watson, Bexfield (Spriggs), White, Defty, Ogbonna (Harris), Jamie Thurlbourne. Subs (not used): McNeil, Reeve, Johnson.
Bookings: Bexfield, White. Goal: Watson (67).
Wellingborough Town:
Dorrill, Spaughton, Smith, Redding, Sturgess, Parkes (Webster), Richardson (Johnson), Surridge, Cray, Oulton, Boyle-Chong. Subs (not used): Hartley, Flannagan.
Bookings: Surridge, Oulton.
Referee: Mr G Winwright (Woodhall Spa). Attendance: 812.