King's Lynn 2 Ilkeston Town 2
28th October 1997
Peter Morris again gave his squad players a run out in the League Cup and it was another debut making Linnet on the scoresheet following the example set by Ian Cambridge at Ilkeston two weeks earlier.
Unfortunately 18 year old trialist Julian Delicata's 74th minute strike came too late to help the Linnets avoid aggregate defeat against the Midland Division side.
Ilkeston's swift forwards caused problems, with roving left-back Craig Ludlam a constant thorn in Lynn's side.
The Linnets thought they had made a glorious start after only 13 minutes but Steve Williams' strike was ruled offside.
James Hollman pulled off a string of outstanding saves to keep the scoresheet blank at the interval but he was left badly exposed two minutes into the second half. three forwards were left in the clear and, despite Martin Matthews' efforts, the ball cannoned off Hollman and looped goalwards where Tony Simpson headed in on the line.
Lynn needed only eight minutes to reply. Cambridge's free kick was met by the outstretched foot of Williams and he skillfully guided the ball home.
But Ilkeston went straight up the other end to grab a crucial second away goal. Ludlam was left in acres of space and closed on Hollman before slamming the ball in from an acute angle.
Tempers rose on a bitterly cold evening with Jason Pascoe, Dean Fearon, and John Knapper lucky to escape punishment after swapping punches.
Twice Lee Hudson blasted shots straight at Malcolm Rigby but the keeper was powerless to keep out the Lynn equaliser.
Matthews' corner brought about of head tennis before Hudson took a wild swing at Williams header and succeeded in distracting the defence enough to allow Delicata to hammer the ball in on the line.
Lynn: Hollman, Matthews, Mead (Hopkins 45), Hoyle, Wright (Cambridge 45), Ellis, Pascoe, Williams, Roberts (Delicata 57), McNamara, Hudson.
Ilkeston: Rigby, Fearon, Ludlam, Middleton, Law, Knapper, Simpson (Thompson 82), Ball, Carmichael, Huckerby, Shaw. Subs (not used) Allen, Piggot.
| FACT file | Shots on Target | Shots off Target | Corners | Caught Offside | Free kicks Conceded |
Bookings |
| Lynn | 12 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 19 | Hoyle (dissent, 68) |
| Ilkeston | 6 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 10 | Middleton (foul, 84) Ludlam (time wasting, 85) Report by permission of the Lynn News |