King's Lynn 4 Cheshunt 1
13th March 2007
Matt Nolan became the first Linnet to score four times in a league game for 25 years.
Another Nolan – Nolan Keeley – netted four goals in the Northern Premier at home to Oswestry in November 1982.
Nolan joined a select band of Linnets to net four in Southern League matches: Trevor Moden (the last to do so, in 1978), Mal Lindsay (twice), Ray Dixon and Brian Jenkins.
Nolan loves playing Cheshunt. He's scored seven out of Lynn's nine goals against them in the past couple of seasons.
Linnets manager Keith Webb was pleased to hear of Nolan's place in club history, and said: "Matty got two goals against Halesowen in his last full game, so he is obviously a confidence player.
"He's a natural footballer, a gifted athlete – he glides across the pitch sometimes.
"It looks too easy sometimes, which might say a lot about the boy.
"With regards to the front players I expect a high work ethic, which is why I'm changing them around to keep them fresh.
"Everyone's playing well at the moment."
Webb added: "People expect us to be 4-0 up at half-time and 6-0 up at the end.
"But football's not like that at this time of year when things are at stake, and players are under a little bit of pressure to make sure that they win.
"We had to earn the right to play well.
"Sometimes you've got to grind out results.
"I think the first penalty decision no-one would have complaints with, but I was a little bit surprised with the second.
"I'm much pleased with the crowd's reaction. I was a little bit surprised how quiet it was on Saturday, but the crowd responded on Tuesday.
"If they cheer, players respond to that. They want them to cheer them to make another tackle.
"If it's quiet and they hear people moaning from the side, it affects their confidence. They're human.
"The left-back (ex-Linnet Michael Deane), who was a tidy player, delivered a great ball and it was a great finish. It was the only time of quality they had in front of our goal.
"They had eight or nine decent individual players, but if they had played with a bit more discipline, they would have been a handful.
"I was disappointed with the tackle that put Charlie Defty out of the game. That should have been stamped on early doors."
The Ambers showed their aggressive and physical (not to mention displays of dissent) after 30 seconds with that tackle which cut short Charlie Defty's game. Sam McMahon came on and Mark Camm switched to left-back.
Lynn took time to get going, but on the quarter-hour mark Danny Bloomfield had a header deflected for a corner. Nolan was dictating forward play from the off with his natural touch and vision.
However he had little to do with the build up of the first goal on the half-hour mark as a Camm centre evaded everyone and keeper Martin Peat had to palm away for a corner.
From this Greg Crane was adjudged to have been pushed and Nolan took the lead from the penalty spot.
It was on 44 minutes when Cheshunt levelled – ex-Linnet Michael Deane delivered a great left-wing cross which another former Linnet Lee Allen headed just inside the near post.
Ironically, in the second half as Cheshunt calmed down and started to play football, they got worse and Lynn were in control.
The Walks outfit regained the lead when Peat fumbled a Michael Frew cross and Nolan slammed the loose ball home on 59 minutes.
Lynn got another penalty on 69 minutes after sub Jack Defty was fouled, and Nolan completed his hat-trick low to the keeper's right.
Jack Defty unselfishly set up Nolan's fourth for a tap-in eight minutes from the end.
Lynn: Crichton, West, C. Defty (McMahon 8), Warren, Crane, Fisk, Fell, Camm, Nolan, Bloomfield (J. Defty 59), Melton (Frew h-t). Subs not used: Harvey, Marshall.
Cheshunt: Peat, Peddie (Bas-hkal 76), Deane, Wattley, Bernard, Fenton, Allen, Obeng, Clarke, Cox (De La Fuente 86), Hicks, (Barratt 72). Not used: Moseley, Forbes. Booked: Fenton, Allen, Hicks.
MoM: Matt Nolan. Referee: P. McCaul. Att: 696.