King's Lynn 1 Stalybridge Celtic 0
28th March 2009
A SECOND half jewel from substitute Julian Joachim dented the play-off hopes of Stalybridge Celtic on Saturday.
Joachim climbed off the bench to seal victory for Keith Webb's side with a finish of the highest quality 17 minutes into the second period.
Lynn could even afford the luxury of a late penalty miss from Jack Defty against a Stalybridge side, who left The Walks knowing that they should have taken something from the game.
Webb said: "It was a fine finish from Julian and having played in the Premiership there's no question that he has the ability and class to do that.
"He could have perhaps scored another one but took the ball too far. I thought he'd done that for his goal but he somehow managed to get a toe-end to it.
"The plan was always to introduce one of the quicker lads as the game opened up and became stretched.
"Stalybridge are a very good side and we worked hard and approached the game in the right manner."
Webb also praised the efforts of makeshift right wing-back Mark Camm for keeping Stalybridge dangerman Steve Torpey quiet.
"We made a tactical change by putting Mark there and I thought he was magnificent," said Webb.
"Steve Torpey is the best left-sided player I've seen in the league this season and Mark kept him very quiet."
Lynn created very little in a poor first half, which was dominated by the visitors.
The Linnets were indebted to Scott Howie and some poor finishing from Stalybridge as the score remained goalless going into the interval.
Howie saved brilliantly to deny Ashley Wolliscroft and Lee Ellington in the first 45 minutes, while Keith Briggs' header grazed the post.
Lynn showed more purpose after the interval and the game swung in their favour when Joachim replaced Kris Renton 15 minutes into the second half.
Within three minutes of coming on, a long ball out of defence from Adam Smith forced Bowler into a mistake down the left and Joachim raced through to chip the advancing Paul Phillips for his eighth goal of the season.
Four minutes later a similar error by John Hardiker on the right saw Joachim surge through again but the striker's second touch allowed Phillips to beat him to the ball.
As so often this season, the game was always on a knife-edge as the score remained 1-0.
Howie foiled Ellington with another brilliant stop before Steve Torpey's late free-kick left the Linnets keeper beaten but came back off the post.
The Linnets immediately broke up the other end of the field and Defty's keep-ball tactics frustrated Rhys Meynell, who upended the frontman in the box.
Defty picked himself up to take the resulting penalty but fired the ball over the woodwork after showing a touch of arrogance from the spot.
Thankfully for Lynn, that was the last action of another drama-packed afternoon at The Walks in front of a gate of just under a thousand. Lynn: Howie, Graham, Smith, Peters, Thomas, Camm, Fisk, Johnson, J.Defty, Renton (Joachim 59), Mitchell.
Subs (not used): Dwyer, Kelly, Crane and Murray. Goal: Joachim (62).
Stalybridge Celtic: P. Phillips, A. Woolliscroft, R. Meynell, B. Keeling, M. Bowler, J. Hardiker, S. Torpey, K. Briggs, L. Ellington, A. Newbold (M. Barlow 73) , A. Meechan (P. Sykes 83). Subs (not used): G. Wilkinson, C. Jennings.
Referee: Mr M. George, North Walsham. Att: 962; MoM: Adam Smith.