King's Lynn 0 Bath City 2
29th April 2006
The Linnets served up an end-of-season horror show to
lose their grip on second place to Saturday's opponents
Bath.As a rule, Lynn usually freeze in front of a big crowd, but Tommy Taylor's side were nothing short of awful for a large part of the 90 minutes and lacked any kind of appetite for a game they only needed a point from.
Not even the first half dismissal of Bath City's Adie Harris could inspire Lynn, who created little in the way of chances and enthusiasm for the forthcoming play-offs.
After the game Linnets boss Tommy Taylor said: "I'm disappointed not to have finished second.
"Plenty of people would have taken third spot at the start of the season, but then we got on a great run and it raised expectations.
"The players know and I know that we've messed up in the final game when the runners-up spot was there for the taking.
"Higgsy has made two mistakes and we've been punished, but there's no way I'm going to blame the lad as he has saved us so many times this season.
"He's got 10 players in front of him, but unfortunately too many of them went missing today."
Taylor added: "The lads know they were poor, but they are the only ones who can put it right.
"We've played 40-odd games to get this far and we don't want to throw it all away now."
After a lively opening spell, Bath's Dean Clarke found himself in space on the edge of the box and cracked a powerful shot goalwards.
Keeper Higgs should have claimed it, but instead spilled the ball to Scott Rogers who blasted home from close range.
Lynn were on the ropes but they were handed a lifeline by the referee on 27 minutes by the sending-off of Harris for a high lunge on Dean West.
Bath's second came on the hour when Higgs and his defence failed to clear a hopeful ball into the box and Phillip Walsh headed home at the back post.
Midfielder Shaun Carey (twice), the ever-impressive Adam Smith and substitute Lee Charles had Lynn's best efforts, but clear-cut chances were few and far between for a lethargic Walks outfit.
Lynn: Higgs, West, Smith, McMahon, Hammond (Peters 75), Camm (C. Defty 82), J. Defty, Anselin (Charles 69), Nolan, Carey, O'Halloran. Subs not used: Hyde and Benstead.
Booking: O'Halloran.
Bath: Astley, Rollo (Dorrian 69), Power, Holloway, Jones, Holand, Rogers, Harris, Walsh (Partridge 78), Sandell (Bird 64), Clarke. Not used: Davidge and Sykes.
Sent-off: Harris. Bookings: Jones, Holloway and Clarke.
Goals: Rogers (7) and Walsh (60).
Referee: D. Coote (Newark). Attendance: 1,079.
MoM: Adam Smith.