Forest Green Rovers 4 King's Lynn 2
30th August 1997
This was a match that rested on which side would punish their opponents defensive frailties the most.Every time the teams went forward a goal was on the cards and it was Rovers who took their chances better. In nippy striker Paul Hunt, they have a real dangerman, always alive to the merest of chances.
He banged in two goals and was denied a deserved hat-trick only by a brilliant finger-tip save from Jamie Hollman. At the other end, Brett McNamara bagged his first goals of the season and should have netted a third from close range.
Lee Hudson also missed a golden opportunity to open his account and had Lynn taken their chances, they may have come away from the west country with a point.
It all looked so promising after six minutes, McNamara heading home Martin Matthews' corner after a flick from Jason Pascoe. But six minutes later a neat Rovers move resulted in Hunt firing in an equaliser.
Just four minutes later and Lynn took the lead again. Pascoe's quick free-kick found McNamara in space and he fed Hudson wide, whose cross was turned in by the Linnets' number ten. But on 25 minutes, it was all square again, Grantly Dicks - brother of West Ham's Julian - swung in a corner that was met by Mike Kilgour and his knock-down was smashed home by Paul McLoughlin, who was later forced out of the game with a suspected broken arm.
Five minutes before the break home skipper Gary Smart was pulled down by Glyn Roberts and Hunt made no mistake from the penalty spot.
McNamara should have equalised almost immediately but took too long to place his shot and home keeper David Mogg blocked his effort. Hunt hit an acrobatic volley just wide when catching out Matthew Wright while Hudson hit a close range effort straight at Mogg.
Had the gone in at half-time level, the result could have been so different, but, as it was, Rovers moved further ahead on 53 minutes, Smart scuffing home a bouncing ball the visiting defence should have cleared.
Chances were still in abundance, Hudson heading straight at Mogg and then just over the bar a few minutes later. McNamara had another chance to secure his hat-trick from Matthews corner but Mogg dived bravely at his feet to deny him. Lynn: Hollman, Matthews, Skelly, Wright (Mead, 54), Hoyle, Spearing, Pascoe, Roberts Williams (Hopkins, 79), McNamara, Hudson. Sub not used: Stock
Forest Green Rovers: Mogg, Coupe, Dicks, Smart, Kilgour, Cook (Bayliss, 70) McLoughlin (Ford, 29), Callinan, Mitchell (Jackson, 65), Hunt, Forbes
| MATCH STATISTICS | Shots on Target | Shots off Target | Corners | Caught Offside | Free kicks Conceded |
Bookings |
| Lynn | 8 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 15 | |
| Forest Green | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 20 |