Linnets share spoils with Saints

A late equaliser from Nabil Shariff denied the Linnets maximum points in their final home league fixture of the season.

Ian Culverhouse was forced into one change from last weekend’s draw with Slough, Ryan Fryatt missing out with a heel injury. Craig Parker replaced him in the starting line up. Tom Siddons and Leon Mettam returned to the substitutes bench after missing the previous two games through injury.

Lynn began the game brightly, and with less than 30 seconds on the clock Ryan Hawkins ran on to a through ball from Cameron King. His effort was just wide of Finley Irons’ left hand post.

In the fourth minute Simon Lappin curled a dangerous free kick into the St Neots box which was headed wide by Craig Parker.

The visitors responded a minute later when a deep cross into the Lynn box was volleyed over the crossbar by Jordan Norville-Williams.

Lynn’s best chance of the half came in the tenth minute when Hawkins ran through on goal but was brought down by the advancing Irons. The Saints stopper was booked, before saving the resulting spot kick from Michael Gash. The ball rebounded to the Lynn striker but his strike ended up in Tennyson Road.

Hawkins was in the thick of the action a minute later as he slid a low shot from the left past Irons, but Liam McDevitt was alert to clear off the line.

In the 20th minute the Linnets had a let-off of their own as Ryan Sembil-Ferris was found in space in the box by Norville-Williams, but he scuffed his shot and the danger was cleared.

Irons was the villain of the piece again in the 24th minute when he appeared to handle the ball outside the area as Craig Parker chased the ball down, but the officials were unmoved by the appeals.

Taylor Parr, who was sent off when the sides met in December, then received a yellow card for a late challenge on Hawkins near the corner flag.

The visitors grew into the game in the closing minutes of the half and a couple of dangerous free kicks tested the Linnets rearguard.

The second half began evenly and Shariff turned over a flick from former Linnet David Bridges inside the area. At the other end Hawkins broke away down the right and saw his cross dummied by Parker into the path of Gash, who could only thump a volley over the bar.

Street then made a good save to deny Sembil-Ferris, before sending a long kick upfield to Gash, but Irons managed to stop his lofted shot just under the bar.

Frazer Blake-Tracy then made a surging run down the Lynn left, crossing for Cameron King who shot just wide.

In the 65th minute Culverhouse introduced Toby Hilliard for the tiring Parker, the substitute shooting just wide with his first touch within seconds of coming on.

Street then had to be alert as another free kick into the Lynn box almost dipped into the top corner, but the stopper was able to hook the ball away to safety.

Then twice in a matter of minutes Dylan Williams missed two glorious chances for St Neots, but both times he fired high and wide of Street’s goal after being found unmarked at the back post.

Lynn finally broke the stubborn resistance of the Saints rearguard with 12 minutes remaining. Blake-Tracy beat two men down the left before hitting an inviting cross which was powerfully headed home by Gash to give the home side the lead.

But it was to be Shariff that would have the final say for the visitors, heading home a right wing cross from substitute Kyran Wiltshire to earn a share of the spoils and spark wild celebrations amongst the travelling supporters.

Deep into injury time, Hilliard was fouled by McDevitt on the edge of the Saints box. Despite having men over and retaining possession the referee opted to pull play back for the free kick, which Frazer Blake-Tracy hit wide.

The draw means that the play off picture remains no clearer for Lynn ahead of the final week of the season. They remain in 2nd position in the table after this result, but a defeat at Chesham next Saturday could still see them finish as low as 5th depending on results elsewhere next week.

Source Kings Lynn Town FC