Teenager winger Michael Lyness was Harwich's unlikely saviour as he performed heroics - as an emergency goalkeeper.

Lyness, 17, donned the stopper's gloves after regular number one Nathan Munson was sent-off for hauling down former Harwich star Gareth Heath in the penalty box.

Referee Tom Conlon had waved away Harwich appeals to save Munson but they need not have worried, for Lyness, one of the smallest players on the field, turned away Tony English's penalty and went on to produce a remarkably assured display.

The red-card controversy came just three minutes after the visitors had taken a 2-0 lead when Tom English leapt above uncle Tony, the Halstead skipper, to head home Richie Meadows' deep right-wing cross.

English Jr, who had a brief spell at Rosemary Lane last season, struck to double a lead that Harwich had earned ten minutes before the break.

Liam Springett, the son of suspended Shrimpers player-manager Mitchell, swung in a dangerous corner that his father would have been proud of and the ball landed at the feet of Adrian Armstrong.

Armstong, whose dad Tony is club chairman, found a way through a mass of bodies to put Harwich in front.

Halstead played well in patches, with Heath, Dave Barefield and Luke Hammond all going close to scoring in the first period.

But they were outworked in the second half and failed to find the necessary breakthrough when the Shrimpers went down to ten men.

Heath, the hosts' most lively player, did net a consolation goal when he struck an 83rd-minute penalty, but he was denied an equaliser thanks to a brilliant diving save by Lyness in the final minute.

Published Wednesday February 25, 2004

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