Almost fifty years ago to the day at the end of January 1973 King’s Lynn faced Lockheed Leamington at home and the Lynn Advertiser reported on the game. ‘This was much better, Lynn. Stung by the memory of two successive home Southern League defeats, the team shook Lockheed with some entertaining football. The Linnets got a confidence-boosting early goal and from then did not look back as they recorded their first Southern League double of the season and their first league win of the New Year.
On the day, Lockheed were not good opposition, but with 12
points from 14 away games including wins at Cheltenham, Corby, Tamworth and
Bedworth behind them, they could not be taken lightly. And Lockheed started brightly enough, with a
free kick by Mick Cartwright being headed on by Graham Jessop and Dennis Walker
got in an awkward deflection which had Gary Street diving low to save. But there were not many more anxious moments
for the uncompromising Lynn defence, which earlier this month had given away
silly goals. A hard shot from Dominic
MacCallum was the sign of things to come and Cartwright was only too pleased to
turn it round the post.
The breakthrough came in the 14th minute. A centre from David Charles was too high for Malcolm Lindsay who had taken two defenders with him and this left Tony Woolmer alone to force the ball in. Lockheed goalkeeper Peter King could rightly complain that he was given no cover and he again had no chance in the 21st minute when Dominic MacCallum scored his first Southern League goal of the season. A good cross from Vince Radcliffe was neatly headed on by Lindsay into the penalty spot with MacCallum running in to finish the move off. King then had to save a deflected shot from John Durrant and a lob from Clarke as Lynn kept moving forward.
The third
goal came in the 37th minute, being set up by Lindsay’s penetrating
pass on the right wing to Durant.
Lockheed hesitated, waiting for an offside decision, giving Durant the
chance to get to the by-line and beat Dennis Taylor before passing back to
Lindsay. The shot from Lindsay was
charged down and Clarke was on hand to push his shot past King’s left hand.
Lockheed had a half time dressing down and looked a more spirited side early in the second half. With a rearranged line up, bringing on substitute Keith Shrimpston for full back Cartwright it was not such a one-sided affair. But Lynn looked the more likely side to score, especially through the electrifying bursts by Durant on the right.
In the space of five minutes Lockheed were in
all sorts of trouble on three separate occasions. The first started with Woolmer’s quick pass
on the halfway line. Durant ran hard at
the retreating defence but Bowden blocked his shot; a precision reverse pass
from Durant then gave Lindsay a chance and he shot to the near post which King
had covered finally in a tricky burst in which he eluded three tackles, Durant
laid the ball back for Brooks who put his shot well wide. Mick Bloxham came on when Wright came on and
in the 88th minute he won a penalty when he was hacked down from
behind by Wilkinson. Trevor Painter,
with four successful penalty kicks behind him, including one at Leamington,
this time shot over the top.’
Lockheed: King, Cartwright (Shrimpston 45), Taylor, Davies,
Bowden, Wilkinson, Salmon, Walker, Jessop, Morton, Sherry. Attendance 422.
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