Match Report

Clevedon Town 3 King's Lynn 1

Clevedon pulled off a remarkable victory over FA Cup heroes and promotion favourites Kings Lynn this afternoon, winning 3-1, despite going behind to a penalty and having their goalkeeper sent off in the process with just 8 minutes on the clock. Both teams ending the first half with just 10 men but Clevedon went on to thoroughly deserve their win and sentence the Linnets to their first league defeat since the opening day of the season. How Kings Lynn must hate their long trip to Clevedon as they suffered their fourth league defeat in four visits to the Hand Stadium, a truly amazing success story for the Seasiders.

Whether it was a reaction to their televised cup tie or their long midweek trip to Windsor in the FA Trophy it’s hard to say, but this was a very average visiting side who bore little resemblance to the side we saw on TV last week. Clevedon got off to a bright start and Darren Mullings should have put them ahead after he worked himself into a good position before blazing over in the second minute, but it all went pear shaped for the hosts in the 8th minute when keeper Danny Greaves brought down Alex Notman after he broke clear of the Clevedon defence. The referee adjudged it to warrant a red card and substitute Tom Jacobs came on to take over in goal with Danny Haines being sacrificed to accommodate him. Tom’s first job was to pick Notman’s penalty out of the net but it has to be said that the striker come keeper was rarely tested by the visitors and only had two saves of note to make in the rest of the game. Jack Pitcher and Mitchell Page both had chances to level the score but it was red card time again in the 35th minute as Kings Lynn’s Stephen Melton was needlessly sent off for using foul and abusive language. Clevedon scorned further chances to draw level as they put their guests under pressure while at the other end Tom Jacobs finally had a save to make in the second minute of injury time.

The second half started in sensational fashion as Jack Pitcher was tripped in the penalty box by the Linnets Grant Cooper and Leon Hapgood’s penalty was far too strong for Shaun Marshall in goal. That lifted Clevedon and in honesty they dominated most of the rest of the game with Leon Hapgood hitting a post, Billy Clark’s flick being cleared of the line and Mitchell Page and Jack Pitcher also having good chances. The best that Kings Lynn could muster in response was a great run and cross shot by Grant Cooper but it was a mystery to the home fans why their high flying guests never really put Tom Jacobs under pressure and looked, in honesty, very lethargic and uninspiring.

A second goal had to come for the hosts and it was Jack Pitcher who supplied it in the 71st minute when he ran into the box and sent a shot across the keeper into the far corner with the defence standing around like statues. After several substitutions from both sides, with Matt O’Halloran in particular looking the liveliest, it was Jack Pitcher who wrapped up the three points after sloppy defending allowed him to go past the keeper and slot the ball into the empty net. That brought an end to a lively and interesting match and the home supporters celebrated a deserved victory over a Linnets side that bore little resemblance in terms of desire to the side who played so well against Oldham Athletic just a week before.

Gallery

Thumbnail panels:

Team Sheet

No:	Name:	Sub:	Goal:
1	Greaves
2	Scott
3	Romhdane
4	Bater
5	Trought
6	Clark
7	Hapgood (Capt)		1 (p)
8	Mullings
9	Page
10	Pitcher		2
11	Haines
12	Rawlins
14	Jacobs	11
15	Sheppard	9
16	Murray
17	-
Own Goal	-

Match Details

Date:	09/12/06
Competition:	British Gas Business Premier League
Opponents:	King's Lynn
Venue:	The Hand Stadium Davis Lane Clevedon North Somerset BS21 6TG
Half Time:	0 - 1
Full Time:	3 - 1
Attendance:	207
Match Report:	Steve Small
Photographs:	Tony Merrett
Notes:

Downloads

Appearances & Goal Scorers	Word Document
Team Sheet Matrix	Excel Document