Linnets have to do it all again in FA Cup replay
Adam Marriott was on target at Alfreton Picture: Jamie Honeywood - Credit: Archant
King's Lynn Town face an FA Cup replay after a 1-1 draw at Alfreton Town - CHRIS LAKEY reports
Football is a game of fine margins, and when Adam Marriott pulled the trigger on a shot in the final minute of added time, it looked like the hotshot was about to ride to the Linnets' rescue again.
Marriott had converted at just about the same time on the clock seven days earlier to earn a league point against Gloucester. This time, the margins came into play, and not in Marriott's favour - the ball rebounded off the base of the right-hand post and any hopes Lynn had of avoiding an FA Cup second qualifying round replay ahead of one of their biggest matches of the season, were gone.
It is inevitable that thoughts of the weekend trip to York City should be at the forefront of minds: a midweek game just doesn't help Lynn's hopes of passing the most difficult test to date.
The replay didn't look on the cards in the early stages: Lynn passed the ball with a swagger - Sonny Carey was denied by keeper Charlie Andrew and Michael Gash headed just wide, so it was no surprise when Marriott put Lynn ahead on 17 minutes: Alex Street's long ball was headed on by Gash. Marriott gave chase and got there before the advancing keeper, clipping it over his head and into the back of the net. Typical Gash. Typical Marriott.
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A twisting Carey almost made it two, but Andrew saved with his legs, but Lynn couldn't build on their advantage and it became a dogged, often ragged, battle as Alfreton worked their way back into it. Striker Amari Morgan-Smith headed wide, Danny Clarke wasted a one-on-one but skipper Danny Lynch drilled a loose ball in from the edge of the box to level just before the break.
Street did well to deny Josh Clackstone but as the game wore on it was a case of much huffing and puffing, but little quality - exemplified by a terrible penalty miss by Morgan-Smith, who blazed over.
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More of the same at The Walks could have been avoided had Marriott's shot been an inch or two to the left.
Alfreton: Andrew, Clackstone, Thacker, Lynch (East 62), Killock, Qualter, Branson, Smith, Clarke (Blake 70), Morgan-Smith, Johnson. Subs not used: Grice, Atkinson, Hinchley. Goal: Lynch 45
King's Lynn Town: Street, Barrows, Fryatt, Smith, Fox, Richards, Clunan (Payne 73), Carey (Stewart 64), Henderson (Kelly 64), Marriott, Gash. Subs not used: Jones, Jarvis, Bastock.
Goal: Marriott 17
Att: 335
