Gloucester City 2 King's Lynn 1
27th February 1999
LINNETS' eight-game unbeaten run in 1999 ended at Meadow Park but they should have hung on for a point after Lee Wilson's early penalty put them ahead.Lynn could not capitalise on dominating the first 20 minutes and then when it was all-square in the second half Wilson had two inviting opportunities to win it.
But they remain outside the drop zone as other results went their way.
Manager Gary Mills shared the disappointment in defeat: "I thought we were more comfortable in the second half than the first because they were just humping the ball forward with the wind," he said. "Chuck (Martini) had just one shot to save.
“We had a couple of chances in the second half, better chances than them, but it was hard to defend as we couldn't see the ball because the sun was in our eyes.
"Lee Wilson's done well, he's full of it. It was disappointing to hold out then give away a sloppy goal. We've come and done well here and if they're second we've got every chance. It shows how far we've come.
“We've now got to go on another run.”
Linnets threatened with just a minute gone as Wilson played a delightful one-two with Lee Allen to burst into the box. His flick with the outside of his right foot was turned around the post by home keeper Pat Mountain.
But Wilson soon made amends as Lynn found acres of space down the right. Martini kicked out to Allen. who turned Tigers skipper Gary Kemp and again fed Wilson, who was fouled as he ran past Sieve Fergusson into the area, Wilson blasted the spot-kick straight down the middle for his second goal in two games. As Linnets won five corners in the first quarter-hour Steve McGinty eventually got on the end of his own flag-kick as a header flashed across goal, but he shot wide.
But Gloucester hit back against s the run of play as, in reverse to Lynn's goal, Wilson fouled Fergusson. The home defender's freekick fed Andy Mainwaring down the line and his wicked cross was bullet headed home by the unmarked Kemp at the far post. This was the first away goal Martini had conceded for five hours.
Tony Spearing was involved in a move - on the left with Allen, whose dangerous low centre was well gathered by Mountain. Linnets had a b care in first half injury time as Martini dropped a Jon Holloway cross but the ball stuck in the mud on the line.
Immediately after the break Marini saved at the feet of Mainwaring in a one-on-one. Then the turning point of the match arrived as Lynn's best chances came and went. Spearing's ball over the top found Wilson, who headed it on before booting across goal. Five minutes later Wilson met Mills' long-ball and beat the defence with a turn of' pace. But his square ball fell behind the Lynn attackers.
Seventeen-year-old sub James Smith injected life into Gloucester and turned the game. He was unlucky with a cross-shot then dispossessed McGinty brilliantly as Wilson put him through. A minute later Smith cut inside, passed to Dave Webb, whose cross was bundled in by Adie Mings on the line. Mings was then lucky to stay on the field as he landed a punch on Glen Fuff after the Linnets defender had fouled him.
Linnets threw on Damian Hilton for his first appearance since August, and Jon Palmer, but they could not fashion the equaliser.
Lynn: Martini, Hoyle, Spearing, Robinson, Fuff, Mills, Turner, Ramsey, Allen (Palmer 87), Wilson, McGinty (Hilton 84). Subs (not used): Clark
Gloucester: Mountain, Holloway, Fergusson, Callinan (Hemmings 45), Kemp, Niblett, Webb, Thorne, Mainwaring, Mings, Tucker (Smith 67). Sub (not used): Hickley.
| MATCH STATISTICS | Shots on Target | Shots off Target | Corners | Caught Offside | Free kicks Conceded |
Bookings |
| Lynn | 3 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 15 | |
| Gloucester | 5 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 13 |