British Gas Business Football League Premier Division Saturday 10 February 2007 - Walks Stadium - kick off 3.00pm

Report taken from by Stephen Ware

City - chasing their seventh consecutive league triumph - were on the back foot early on, but had the first opportunity when Gethin Jones punted over from a corner before captain Mark Camm curled a free-kick wide for the hosts. Paul Evans was looking uncomfortable in the visiting goal and, after dropping a couple of straightforward crosses, he was nearly beaten on nine minutes when Camm fed Matt Nolan, whose low drive flew inches wide of the post. City's normally tightly bound defensive unit - that had gone six league games without conceding - was beginning to fray, inviting pressure with a series of unconvincing clearances. But it was one of its mainstays that gave John Relish's men a surprise lead after 23 minutes when Holland rose to loop home a lofted Mark McKeever free-kick. Scott Partridge should have doubled that advantage on the half-hour mark when he latched on to one of many hopeful balls over the home defence and tried to pick out strike partner Darren Edwards when a shot looked the better option. Lewis Hogg also failed to find a finish after bursting through from midfield, but Andrew Fisk blazed over shortly afterwards in a rare home foray. That gave the Linnets a lift and Nolan almost found himself one on one with Evans before being crudely brought down by Gethin Jones who received a booking. Camm hit the resulting free-kick against the wall and, from the rebound, unleashed a fizzing half volley that dipped violently on to the roof of the net.

Nolan was again causing City problems after the break as he held off several challenges before firing a shot across goal that Evans watched whistle to safety. Partridge drove against the inside of the Lynn post via keeper Paul Crichton's foot immediately afterwards, but was flagged offside. The game was swinging from end to end and Partridge was inches away from turning in Hogg's cross after 63 minutes. A minute later, substitute Jack Defty thought he had got the hosts' equaliser when, in a carbon copy of City's opener, he glanced a Dean West free-kick towards the corner of the net. Evans was beaten, but the ball miraculously froze on the line after grazing a post. City were the next to curse their misfortune as Hogg's deep cross struck the bar and McKeever's follow-up header was saved by Crichton before the referee's assistant raised his flag. And their luck went from bad to worse in the 73rd minute when Jim Rollo was adjudged to have brought down substitute Matt O'Halloran in the area and Nolan sent Evans the wrong way to convert the penalty. City were then pinned back by wave after wave of Lynn attack, though Partridge could have snatched a win had he got a toe to Scott Rogers' drilled centre. Defender Grant Cooper also had a late chance to seal three points for the hosts when he was left unmarked to head tamely wide. And Partridge again might have pinched it in injury time, but could not guide home an effort from distance after finding himself behind the Linnets' defence.