King's Lynn Town FC net five-star display in first pre-season clash at Stamford

Stamford 1 King's Lynn Town 5

King's Lynn Town blew away the close-season cobwebs with a five-star display in their first pre-season clash at Stamford on Saturday, writes James Bedford.

Other than a trialist between the posts, the Linnets fielded a different side in either half during the victory where summer arrivals Nathan Fox, Sonny Carey and Sam Kelly all made promising debuts in their first action for the club.

Stamford had to borrow Lynn goalkeeper Charlie Congreve from the visitors for the clash.

Congreve was beaten after just 11 minutes of the contest when Jordan Richards' cross to the back post was cushioned down by the head of Michael Gash for Nathan Stewart to sweep home the opening goal.

Stamford twice threatened to equalise with Liam Adams curling an effort narrowly wide while Gash produced a fine tackle to deny Ollie Brown-Hill after he had broken clear following Tom Siddons' flick-on.

The Linnets then doubled their lead midway through the first half when Congreve fumbled as he slid out to collect a through ball and Stewart teed up Aaron Jones to tap home.

Lynn came close to a third as Gash's header from a Nathan Fox cross rattled the crossbar with Congreve beaten.

The Linnets custodian did well though to deny his team-mates from increasing their lead further ahead of the half-time break.

Stewart was denied his second goal by a fine fingertip save from Congreve who then excelled with a superb reaction save to palm a goalbound Gash header over the crossbar from the resultant corner.

Stamford came close to halving the deficit on the stroke of half-time as Jon Challinor burst clear of the chasing Lynn defence only to poke his shot narrowly wide of the advancing trialist goalkeeper in the Linnets goal.

Both sides rang the changes after the break with Lynn increasing their lead after 57 minutes when summer signing Sonny Carey smashed home a fine strike.

Stamford pulled a goal back shortly after as Mathwasa produced a superb dashing run to set up Hicks who played in ex-Lincoln City youngster Dec O'Hare to open the Daniels' account for pre-season.

Congreve then produced another top-drawer stop to turn away a fierce strike from Adam Marriott, but he was powerless to prevent the former Cambridge United and Lincoln City striker from heading home a Ross Barrows cross for Lynn's fourth after 74 minutes.

The visitors wrapped up the scoring with three minutes remaining when Joe Taylor sealed their success.

The Linnets are next in action on Tuesday evening when they travel to Ram Meadow to face Isthmian League side Bury Town in their next warm-up fixture (7.45pm).

Lynn Reserves collected a fine 5-0 success in their latest pre-season game at Wells Town.

Ben Welch netted a hat-trick. Emre Upston and Harry Paul added the other goals.

Photos: TIM SMITH