Boston United 1 King's Lynn 2
27th December 1999
The LINNETS produced their best performance of the season to inflict the first home league defeat of the season on leaders Boston United.Lynn went into the game knowing a defeat would cast them 15 points adrift of their near neighbours, but they produced an outstanding display which delighted the Linnets management team.
"It was excellent, especially in the first half. Our plan was to take the game to Boston and we did just that," explained Lynn assistant boss Darren Gee.
Lynn, who were the last team to win [a league game] at York Street last April, had enough chances to secure an even bigger win but, in the end, had to produce a frantic rearguard action as Boston poured forward in the latter stages of the game.
And Gee was full of praise for the defensive pairing of Glen Fuff and Dave Robinson.
"They were magnificent," he enthused. "They have been really getting it together in recent weeks. You know when you play sides like Boston they are going
to throw it down your throat, but we matched them physically. The back five, including Chuck, were magnificent!'
Lyndon Rowland should have given Lynn the lead as early as the fifth minute, but he turned his free effort wide of Paul Bastock's goal.
David Norris was Boston's most effective player and he twice came close while Andy Kiwomya saw his shot from a flowing move go inches wide.
Lynn took the lead five minutes before half-time with a sensational strike from Robinson.
He intercepted the ball in his own 18-yard box and ran unchallenged into the United half before looking up and lobbing Bastock from 40 yards.
"I was really chuffed for him," continued Gee. "He has been playing so well. He wanted to do well and it was a fantastic goal. Anybody would have been proud of a goal like that."
Two minutes later Lynn had increased their lead when the lively Lee Wilson pounced to fire inside Bastock's near post.
United poured forward after the break and nearly reduced the arrears through Norris who fired through a crowd of players to see his shot blocked on the line and rebound onto the bar before being tipped over by Chuck Martini.
But United got back into the match on 68 minutes when Glen Fuff held back Mark Rawle and Peter Costello stepped up to convert the resultant penalty kick.
This set up a frantic finale, but Lynn remained solid at the back and their celebratory victory
dive in front of their vociferous following showed just how much this win meant to them.
"The Christmas period is always important. It's where leagues are won or lost. We were fantastic and this really sets us up. It will be a thrilling finale," added Gee. Lynn: Martini, Dakin, Mills (Nwadike 65), Robinson, Fuff, Spearing, Harbottle, Marsden, Rowland ( Palmer 85), Wilson, Puttnam (Turner 89)
Boston: Bastock, Gowshall, Wilson (Noteman 75), Rawle, Costello, Rennie, Stanhope, Kiwomya, Nuttell, Power, Norris. Subs not used: Nicholls, Taylor.
MoM: Dave Robinson