Match report: King’s Lynn 0-4 Matlock Town

The long trip to Norfolk was all over bar the shouting by the interval as strikes from Lewis McMahon, Daryll Thomas and Danny Holland gave them a commanding advantage.

Then it was more a matter of last season’s First Division South champions keeping their pride intact as the Linnets slipped to their first home league defeat of the campaign, hot on the heels of a 5-1 home humiliation in the FA Cup to Cambridge City on Saturday, McMahon scoring again to ensure a happy trip back up the A17 for Mark Atkins’ men.

It wasn’t a total stroll in the park for Matlock at The Walks, offensively Lynn offered what could have been a lethal threat, but their defending was calamitous and Matlock made them pay.

Danny Quigley drove too high after veteran target man Robert Duffy helped Andy Hall’s right wing cross into his path as Lynn created the first noteworthy opportunity early on but the hosts’ bright start was checked by a stunning Matlock goal in the 13th minute when McMahon cracked home an instinctive first time half volley from 25 yards.

A tall home side twice went close through headers from central defender Philip Gulliver but Jon Kennedy remained unruffled and was seldom seriously tested.

But there was an escape for Kennedy as a full blooded blockbuster from winger Andy Hall struck the bar on 21 minutes.

Within a minute Matlock had doubled their lead, breaking at pace for Holland to see goalkeeper Danny Gay parry his effort only for the alert Thomas gleefully tuck away the rebound.

Lynn forced three corners on the bounce as they sought a recovery route but at the other end Holland fed Thomas whose effort was deflected wide, this coming shortly after Gay had held a Thomas strike.

It was three though four minutes prior to the break as Micky Harcourt crossed low for Holland to slide confidently home, and there was still time for McMahon to fire a Thomas cross at Gay.

Matlock understandably restricted Lynn more after the break having laid the groundwork for a great three points. Adam Yates was off the bench to replace James Ashmore in the engine room and the next chance fell to Town as Gay pushed away a low effort from skipper Liam Needham.

There was a ray of hope for Lynn as substitute Stephen Spriggs latched on to an assist from Duffy only to whip his shot beyond the far post and with Matlock having made enforced changes, but before Sam Mulready struck the Matlock bar, the boys in blue might have scored another, only for substitute Lee Featherstone to fail in a one on one duel with Gay.

But Featherstone and fellow substitute Adam Yates provided the ammunition for McMahon to rifle in the fourth Matlock goal with ten minutes left, and the Blues’ third change, Will Dennis in a cameo role, could so easily have completed a nap hand, pulling his shot wide of the near post.

King’s Lynn: 1 Danny Gay 2 Ryan Clarke 3 Jason Lee 4 Ryan Fryatt (Jordon Yong 64) 5 Phil Gulliver 6 Richard Bunting (Stephen Spriggs 46) 7 Andrew Hall 8 Dan Quigley 9 Rob Duffy (Ewan Clarke 72) 10 Sam Mulready 11 George Thompson Other subs: Gary Mills, Walter Fernandes

Matlock: 1 Jon Kennedy 2 Micky Harcourt 3 Joe Leesley 4 Martin Foster 5 David Haggerty 6 Oscar Radford 7 Liam Needham 8 James Ashmore (Adam Yates 51) 9 Danny Holland(Will Dennis 82) 10 Lewis McMahon 11 Daryll Thomas (Lee Featherstone 65) Other subs: Matty Leese Ref: A De Costa (Cambridge) Att: 381

Star Gladiator: Lewis McMahon

Report by Ian Richardson