Lynn Robbed By Late Penalty - Kings Lynn vs. Harrogate Town

Dusk at The Walks

For the second time in this season's FA Trophy, I travelled to The Fens for a game. Earlier in the competition I had seen Soham crash out 6-1 at home to Spalding. Today's tie was between Kings Lynn of The Northern Premier League and Harrogate Town of The Conference North. Both teams were having OK seasons and both found themselves in mid table. This was Harrogate's first game in the competition this season while Kings Lynn had beaten Market Drayton and Stourbridge to reach this stage of the competition. This was the first time I'd been to a game involving either side. 

The main stand at The Walks

In the early stages, the Harrogate keeper goes in bravely to win the ball and this would not be the last time that he put his body on the line. He is called in to action as following a swift Kings Lynn break, the ball is crossed to the back post and he makes a good low save from the resulting header. Kings Lynn then manage to get another cross to the back post but this time a snap shot is blazed high and wide. The Kings Lynn winger then bursts in to the box and the keeper produces another great save which leads to a mass scramble in the six yard box but the home side cannot force the ball home. Kings Lynn win a free kick out by the far touchline and the keeper has to be alert yet again to clear the danger. Harrogate are restricted to a couple of half chances as Kings Lynn are disappointed not to be leading at the break.

The Kings Lynn keeper in mid flight in the first half

The second period begins in the same vein as the first when a Kings Lynn free kick in to the area causes havoc in the box and two efforts from close range are blocked before the Harrogate defence is able to clear the danger. Another free kick shortly afterwards looks like it has hit the back of the net but unfortunately for the home side the ball has hit the side netting. Harrogate's first chance of the half comes on the break and is blocked by the Kings Lynn defence. The home support are then enraged by the referee when they have two penalty claims in quick succession turned down. On first viewing, it looked like Harrogate were lucky to get away with the second one. The game is now opening up as both sides look for a winner and the Harrogate forward should do a lot better when he finds himself in space after a free kick but hammers the ball over the bar. The Kings Lynn winger then puts a great ball across the six yard but no one gets the vital touch. The Harrogate forward then breaks in to the area and as he tries to round the keeper, he is brought down and the referee gives the penalty to the disbelief of the home fans. The forward shows no mercy from the spot to put the visitors one up. In the final stages Harrogate have a good chance to score the killer second goal but the weak shot is easily saved.

An early Kings Lynn corner in the first half

The journey to Kings Lynn was one of the easier trips of the season so far. Trains to Kings Lynn depart from Kings Cross and the journey takes around an hour and forty minutes and there is one train an hour. If you want ales before the game then The Crown and Mitre by the ferry is the place to go. If you want to watch the early kick offs then The White Hart on Saturday Market Place does the job. In terms of general sights, Kings Lynn is worth exploring before a game. The Walks is about a fifteen minute walk from the train station. The bar underneath the stand does the job and does good sausage rolls. After the game I went to The Lattice House which was an OK Wetherspoons. More importantly I also visited Bitsons Chippy on Blackfriars Street which I can highly recommend.

Another view of the fantastic main stand