King's Lynn 2 Salisbury City 0
29th April 2000
LINNETS ended their home campaign in style thanks to a brace from Emeka Nwadike his first goals for the club.If not for heroics by Salisbury's Australian-born keeper . Vince Matessa, Linnets would have won by a street.
Lynn's own exotic custodian, Chuck Martini, kept Linnets' lead intact with two fine saves himself to preserve his 18th clean sheet of the season - one more than he managed last term,
Linnets manager Gary Mills, who was even more fired up than usual, and his men threw shirts into the crowd as a thank-you gesture.
"The pitch was very bobbly, we created chances, but we've got to stick them in," said Mills.
"Jon Palmer's got to get stronger and stick the ball in the net more. He'll be good for this club."
On Nwadike's brace, Mills added: "Tony Marsden bet Macca he'll give him £10 for every goal scored, because he doesn't expect him to score."
After getting away with challenging Tyronne Bower: in the box, Tony Spearing collapsed to the floor with a tendon injury in his right knee.
Lee Gibson came on and Craig Clark switched to left back, but this did not seem to affect Lynn's shape.
Within a minute, Mills sent a beautiful long ball into the Salisbury area and Nwadike beat the advancing Matessa to nod into an empty net.
Nwadike soon had the ball in the net again, but it, was disallowed for a push.
Late in the half Martini made two magnificent low saves to deny Ian Chalk and Danny Rofe.
Linnets turned on the style and created five one-on-one chances in the second period as the visitors displayed why they have the worst defence in the league - Matessa excepted.
The impressive Palmer hit the bar, then Mark Turner's follow-up rebounded off Roger Emms and into the keeper's arms.
Matessa deserved his luck as he somehow saved at the feet of Dave Puttnam and Turner following great balls over the top from Palmer and Gibson respectively.
The Palmer-Puttnam combination was again foiled, this time by Matessa's legs.
There was even time for Dave Robinson to strike the bar with a diving header from Mills' delightful freekick.
At last Puttnam turned provider on the left as a through-ball found Nwadike, who showed the forwards how to finish. He beat defender and keeper before slotting home.
Lynn: Martini, Dakin,Spearing (Gibson 17), Robinson, Fuff, Nwadike ,Mills, Clark, Palmer (Rowland 89), Turner, Puttnam (Bogan 89).
Salisbury : Matessa, Bartlett, Cook, Lush, Emms, Rofe, Bowers, Sales, Smith, Chalk, Shepherd (Anderson 86). Subs (not used) Savage, Curtis.
| MATCH STATISTICS | Shots on Target | Shots off Target | Corners | Caught Offside | Free kicks Conceded |
Bookings |
| Lynn | 9 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 13 | |
| Salisbury | 6 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 14 | Shepherd (12 dissent) |