King's Lynn 2 Arsenal 2
30th April 2002
Arsenal head of youth development Liam Brady praised the Linnets players after watching them hold his young Gunners side to 2-2 in an entertaining game at The Walks on Tuesday.
Lynn even scored inside the first minute, something they had been crying out to do in the league, Glen Fuff nodding in Paul Raynor's corner.
The Gunners legend, who played 72 times for the Republic of Ireland and had a successful spell in Italy, told the Lynn News: "Both your full-backs (Jamie March and David Staff) were quick and committed, while the central midfielder (Raynor) you could see he's had the experience of league clubs.
"It was a good entertaining game, and Lynn got off to a great start. The pitch was made very difficult by the rain.
"We've enjoyed it, it was nice to see a big crowd, and I hope the club are pleased with the evening."
As expected, rising teenage star Jermaine Pennant played for the Gunners and replied with a well-taken goal drilled into the bottom corner on the quarter-hour mark from a pass by the lively Jo-Osei Kuffour.
Premiership-style passing was evident from Arsenal even on the wet pitch.
Ten minutes later Kuffour beat three defenders and slotted home.
However on the half-hour Adie Hayes levelled with a rare right-foot strike when Simon Bush capitalised on a defensive error.
Arsenal sprung a surprise when Stuart Taylor, who is almost in line for a Premiership championship medal after deputising for David Seaman, started the game.
The England under 21 keeper was not originally down to play.
Taylor went off at half-time as both side threw on substitutes, and the match was less intense.
Lynn keeper Steve Wilson saved brilliantly with his legs from Peterborough-born David Bentley, while Jack Defty almost bagged a late winner, but headed straight into Graham Stack's arms.
Later in the game Alan Murray - who had just come on - suffered ankle ligament damage, not from a tackle, and is now on crutches.
The referee abandoned the match while Murray was having treatment.
Lynn squad: Wilson, Staff, March, Anderson, Fuff, Clark, Bush, Raynor, Clarke, McNamara, Hayes, Defty, McNeil, Harvey, Bacon, Murray, Blake.
Arsenal: Stuart Taylor, Greg Oates, Juan, John Halls, Liam Chilvers, Graham Barrett, Jermaine Pennant, David Nobe, Jo-Osei Kuffour, Jermaine Aliadiere, Jerome Thomas, Alex Bailey, Ryan Garry, Olafur-ingi Skulason, Jermaine Brown, Graham Stack, David Bentley.
Att: 1,542. Referee: M Ive (Beachamwell, Norfolk)