King's Lynn Town starting to turn The Walks into a fortress

King’s Lynn Town manager Tommy Widdrington is delighted his players have learned to love The Walks again as the ground begins to regain its fortress reputation.

Last season, the Linnets lost 14 times at home, winning just four matches and claiming 16 points, with an increasingly toxic atmosphere in the final few weeks before the new manager and his coaching team started to turn results – and performances – around.

Since Widdrington and his staff arrived last December, fans have been rewarded with some impressive displays – especially this term.

Lynn’s football has been a breath of fresh air this season and the coaching staff’s more pragmatic approach has already garnered 22 points from a possible 24 on home soil, with two cup victories to boot.

Despite being unbeaten on their own patch in league and cup matches this term, you won’t find the Lynn chief getting carried away with so many games still to be played.

“I think you build from the results at home obviously and it puts less pressure when you go away from home,” said Widdrington.

“Everyone in football probably works on the premise if you can pick up four points from every two games then you are going to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

“The league points accrued at home is very, very good but we haven’t done too badly away from home either.

“We want to make it into a fortress because it certainly wasn’t that before I came here. A year on it’s a very different place to come and I don’t think many sides will enjoy coming here.”

Tomorrow, the Linnets take a two-week break from National League North action as they turn their attentions to the cup – starting with the visit of Hemel Hempstead Town in the second round of the FA Trophy.

The Tudors are no strangers to Norfolk, the clubs last locking horns back in 2007-08 with Lynn getting just the one point from the two Southern League meetings before gaining some consolation with a penalty shoot-out win at The Walks in the Errea Cup.

Lynn’s boss will be back in the dugout for tomorrow’s tie after serving a one-game suspension for the bench picking up four yellow cards in the first third of the campaign.

“I trust Hugo (Langton) and Mark (Hughes) implicitly,” admitted the Lynn boss after watching last Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Kidderminster Harriers from the stands.

“There are 11 bodies, 20 odd arms and legs on the pitch but only one brain in charge of it so to speak.

“I get respect from the players so it’s only right that the players give them (Hugo and Mark) the same respect as they do me, as they speak for me.”

The match sees a prize of £3,750 awaiting the winners while £1,000 is received by the losers.