King's Lynn Town return to the top of the National League North table as on-loan AFC Wimbledon striker nets on his debut
King's Lynn Town 2 Peterborough Sports 1
Aaron Cosgrave took only four minutes to score on his King's Lynn Town debut as Tommy Widdrington's side returned to the top of the National League North table this afternoon.
The on-loan AFC Wimbledon frontman stabbed home his first goal at the far post after defender Aaron Jones had opened the scoring during a whirlwind opening from the home side.
Tyler Denton's own goal handed visiting Peterborough Sports a lifeline 14 minutes later – but with both Darlington and Brackley not in league action Lynn held on to return to the summit for the first time in more than two months.
Widdrington made three changes from the team involved in the goalless stalemate at Blyth Spartans.
Olly Scott and Michael Clunan both returned to the startling line-up while Cosgrave was handed his first start in Lynn colours.
The trio of Tom Hughes, Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kyle Callan-McFadden – three starters in the north east last weekend – all dropped to the bench.
Visiting Sports made one change from the side that defeated Southport 2-1 last weekend with Connor Kennedy replacing Dan Jarvis in midfield.
The game saw Ryan Fryatt and Nathan Fox start against their former club while Linnets legend had to be content with a place on the bench for the Cambridgeshire outfit.
Lynn got off to the best possible with a helping hand from visiting goalkeeper Peter Crook.
Crook came racing off his line when he didn't need to and Fox's back header was pounced upon by Jones, who raced in from the right to put the ball into the net.
Two minutes later it was 2-0 after Josh Barrett's cross was only parried by Crook into the path of Cosgrave to stab home the easiest of finishes.
Despite their poor start, the visitors gave themselves a glimmer of hope by reducing the arrears in the 18th minute.
There looked little on as Fox delivered a cross from the left and Denton, under pressure from Sembie-Ferris, turned the ball into his own net.
Crook atoned for his earlier errors by pulling off a stunning fingertip save to deny Barrett at the second attempt after Lynn's playmaker had seen his original free-kick cannon off the visiting wall and back into his path.
The visitors started to win a few of the battles in the middle of the park as Lynn started to become a little bit sloppy in possession.
Sembie-Ferris saw his cross parried away by Paul Jones after a brilliant crossfield pass from Diadier Camara had picked the wideman out in space.
Two minutes before the break Kayden Williams-Lowe did well to fend off the attentions of Barrett after Clunan's ball in from the right.
The game remained a scrappy affair but a well-drilled Sports outfit, who threw lots of bodies forward in the final quarter of the contest, were always a threat on the break.
Josh McCammon, substitute Sani and Sembie-Ferris all had half-chances to find the back of the net as the clock ticked down but the Linnets nervously saw the game through.
Before today, Lynn were last on top on November 5 – the afternoon of their memorable FA Cup win at Doncaster Rovers – now their aim will be to try to stay there.
King's Lynn Town: P. Jones, A. Jones, Crowther, Coulson, Denton, Scott, Stephens (Hughes 72), Widdrington, Clunan, Barrett (Oxlade-Chamberlain 84), Cosgrave (Ponticelli 61). Subs not used: Callan-McFadden and Blair.
Scorers: A. Jones 2 Cosgrave 4.
Peterborough Sports: Crook, Williams-Lowe (Sano-Sani 76), Fox, Fryatt, Johnson, Lawlor, Sembie-Ferris, Kennedy, M Jones (Gash 76), Camara (Jarvis 57), McCammon. Subs not used: R. Jones, Nicholson. Booked: Camara, Fryatt.
Scorer: Denton (own goal) 18.
Attendance: 1343.
