King's Lynn 1, Bath City 1

King's Lynn 1, Bath 1

King's Lynn's important Southern League Premier Division game with league leaders Bath City was one of only four games in the Premier Division to survive the wintry weather conditions as despite heavy rain referee Feerick ruled the pitch was fit to play the game.

The Linnets were without influential captain Mark Warren due to a calve strain. Andy Cave Brown came back into the starting line up following his return from the Scottish U19 training camp in Malaga. Otherwise the Linnets had a full strength squad from which to choose enabling Matt Nolan, who missed the game in midweek at North Wood, to return at centre forward whilst 'loanee' from Cambridge United, Paul Crichton, kept his place in goal. In the absence of Warren, Mark Camm would lead the side.

The weather had improved as Lynn kicked off this important fixture attacking the Tennyson Road end.

An early free kick for Bath was easily cleared and when Lynn themselves had an early kick Cooper's effort curled wide of the post. A deep cross from Blois caused Evans, in the Bath goal, a problem and the Romans were forced to concede an early corner which came to nothing.

Lynn should have taken the lead on eight minutes when Fisk found Cave-Brown who in turn gave Matt Nolan a superb opportunity but the striker placed his effort wide of an open goal.

However, it was the visitors Bath, who broke the deadlock on 22 minutes when from a free-kick awarded on the Lynn left flank McEver put a pin-point ball into the penalty area for Bath centre half CHRIS HOLLAND to rise unopposed to head a good goal past the helpless Crichton.

Steve Jones of Bath was cautioned for a foul on Lewis Blois and then Scott Partridge looking suspiciously offside made a good break for the visitors and made a pass to Edwards whose shot from a very narrow angle was blocked.

Half time: King's Lynn 0, Bath City 1.

At the interval King's Lynn made a substitution bringing on Matt O'Halloran for Cave-Brown. A McKeevor free-kick was caught by the Lynn goalkeeper Crighton whose long punt downfield was chased by Frew but Evans was quickly off his line to snuff out the danger. Lynn made a second substitution replacing Frew with Jack Defty.

Lynn made a further substitution, Fisk being replaced by Alex Notman. Steve Jones won the ball in midfield for Bath to find Hogg on the right wing whose low ball into the box almost deceived Crighton as Scott Partridge moved in to challenge.

Lynn almost levelled on 63 minutes when in a carbon copy of the Bath goal Jack Defty rose to a Dean West free-kick. However, the big man's powerful header struck the inside of the post to rebound into the arms of the grateful Evans.

On 70 minutes a long kick downfield from Crichton saw Nolan head the ball onto O'Halloran who burst into the Bath penalty area where he was brought down by Holland who was cautioned for the tackle. From the resulting spot-kick NOLAN easily beat Evans to put the Linnets level and set up a grand stand finish.

Lynn immediately won a corner taken by O'Halloran but Evans left his goal and claimed the cross well. A fourth Bath player then earned the referee Feerick's displeasure when Edwards was cautioned for dissent.

O'Halloran did well to get in a cross which was headed away for a corner and as the ball came out to Melton who in turn passed to West whose cross found Cooper who challenged Evans as the goalkeeper went for the ball. The Lynn player was cautioned for the effort.

From a poor free-kick taken by Crichton, Scott Partridge picked the ball up but his attempted shot from long range was well wide as Lynn defenders closed him down.

Referee Feerick was still not done as he found time to caution Jack Defty for a foul on Gethin Jones.

The game was watched by a magnificent crowd of 1,203.

Final score: King's Lynn 1, Bath City 1

t King's Lynn: Crichton, West, Blois, Cooper, Crane, Fisk, Cave-Brown, Camm, Nolan, Frew, Melton. Subs: J Defty, A Notman, D McMann, M O'Halloran, F Toms

t Bath City: Evans, Simpson, Rollo, G Jones, Holland, S Jones, Hogg, Rogers, Edwards, Partridge, McKeever. Subs: Coupe, Clarke, Harris, Walsh, Green.

t Referee: S Feerick, Peterborough