Grantham Town share the points with Linnets

Northern Premier League

Premier Division

Grantham Town 3

King’s Lynn Town 3

Grantham Town continued their unbeaten new year run and shared the points with the visitors in an exciting encounter at a sun-drenched but still chilly Meres on Saturday.

The Gingerbreads came back from a 2-0 deficit to lead 3-2, only to concede an equaliser in the dying minutes of the second half.

The game began in a lively fashion and remained so throughout.

Following a spell of midfield pinball, King’s Lynn broke the deadlock out of the blue in the 22nd minute, with Sam Mulready heading in from Stephen Spriggs’s ball across the face of the Grantham goal.

The Gingerbreads conceded again three minutes later, this time from a soft penalty. Referee Mr Smith disproved of Scott Hellewell’s tackle on Spriggs in the 18-yard box and had no hestitation in pointing to the spot, despite protestations. On-loan Leon Mottram fired in the spot kick, with Grantham keeper Dan Haystead diving the right way but unable to get a finger to the ball.

The home support finally had something to cheer about in the 29th minute. A 40-yard free kick was repelled out to Ben Saunders who caught Lynn keeper Alexander Street unawares with a cheeky, bobbling ball which went in at the far post.

The Gingerbreads needed a quick goal after the break and found it on 52 minutes. Hellewell made amends for his penalty concession when he fired into the roof of the net from the edge of six-yard box to level the scores.

Grantham continued to show great fight and belief and went in front six minutes later. Saunders found himself in acres of space with just Street to beat. He switched his man and slotted under the Linnets stopper to cheers of the Meres faithful.

Former Gingerbread Greg Smith came on in the 63rd minute to the boos of the home crowd. Jeers turned to cheers a minute later when the big striker was yellow carded for barging in his second touch of the game.

Grantham’s defence seemed practically impenetrable and victory looked to be the probable outcome.

But with three minutes remaining, King’s Lynn levelled the affair. Haystead rose high to punch a dangerous ball over several heads and fell in a heap on the ground. He was quickly up but not swift enough to get back to save Henry Eze’s looping header.

Grantham Town: Haystead, Purcicoe (Kay, 32), Rawdon, Johnson, Hellewell, Miveld, Meadows, Lewis, Grimes, Saunders, Emmott. Subs not used: Bilyk, Newman, Divver, Rhule.

Att: 292