Not really a walkover at the Walks


I might be alone amongst fans of other non-league football fans in East Anglia, but you've got to feel a bit sorry for King's Lynn Town. The pheonix club playing their first season at step 5 reached the semi-finals of the FA Vase and last night saw them reach 100 points and a goal difference of +93 with one game left and they still won't get promoted. They have also achieved an average crowd of over 600 and yesterday, which was their 3rd home game of four in the space of a week they got well over 500 turning out. However, they won't be playing a step higher next season, mainly due to the fact that they lost last month to St.Neot's who will be the promoted side.

I went to the Walks expecting a goal fest, as apart from the fine record Lynn have, with 3 players all scoring over 30 goals in all competitions, Rothwell were and will finish bottom of the league. It didn't quite transpire in that way, as there was definitely an end of season feel to the game with both sides looking a bit weary. It must be remembered that over the last 3 months Lynn have been playing 9 or 10 games a month, so when you hear Premier League managers moaning about too many games spare a thought for those poor sods who have to hold down full-time jobs as well as playing two or three games a week.

Kings Lynn started well enough with some impressive play, but a number of wasted chances and some chronic show-boating by Steve Spriggs, as well as an inspired performance by the Corinthian's goalkeeper saw the two teams go into the break at 0-0. Despite this Rothwell replaced their dynamic goalkeeper at half time. Strangely, late on in the second half Lynn also replaced their keeper and I think this is the first time that I have seen both goalkeepers substituted in any game, nevermind a league game of any sort.

The second half progressed in much the same way as the first half and Bacon brought it home on the hour mark by blasting the Linnets into the league on the hour mark. The old bloke in front of me then started complaining that he had to leave to get a bus back to Peterborough and that they always scored when he left. A few of the home fans around me must have been aware of the fact, as they had been asking him when he had to catch a bus as early as the first 10 minutes of the first half! His prophecy came to fruition as Jack Defty scored on 86 minutes with a close range header and then Bexfield scored in stoppage time to secure a 3-0 win for Lynn.

Steve Spriggs' show-boating obviously impressed the local school kids though, as they named him man of the match, which was greeted by derisory cheers from the fans above the age of 12.

Anyway, a trip to Lynn for a midweek game was a real bonus, as it isn't recommended on a school night, so cheers Willy and Kate for that. Not a bad night out, but a weird place all the same, especially after meeting Leo from Kyiv before the game and then having to spend the train journey back with a geezer who decided to befriend me who was basically a Danny Dyer documentary waiting to happen.

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