King’s Lynn hold play-off chasers Chester to a goalless draw in the National League North
King's Lynn Town 0 Chester 0
King's Lynn Town picked up their third point of 2024 as they held fourth-placed Chester to a goalless draw at the Walks.
It was far from a National League North classic for home supporters but Lynn showed an abundance of grit and determination as they bounced back from their midweek humiliation at the hands of Curzon Ashton.
Linnets manager Adam Lakeland made three changes from the starting-up humbled by his former on Tuesday night.
His assistant Sam Walker and strikers Bartosz Cybulski and Owen Devonport were all handed starts at the expense of Quevin Castro, Gabriel Rogers and Jonathan Margetts who dropped to the bench.
The appearance of Walker particularly caught the eye with the experienced midfielder having been restricted to just 14 minutes of football in the last five months.
After a quiet opening, the visitors spurned a half-chance to take the lead when Charlie Caton was unable to convert Nathan Woodthorpe's deep ball across the box.
Woodthorpe on the left was the main source of Chester's danger in the first half and the defender's first-time cross was well punched away by Paul Jones between the Lynn posts.
George Glendon's effort was deflected over the woodwork for a corner but Jones remained largely untroubled.
It was scrappy stuff at times but Lynn didn't care as they got into the break without conceding a goal and, given their first-half capitulation in midweek, Lakeland will have probably been the happier of the two managers going into the interval.
Chances were few and far between but Lynn missed a golden one to get their noses in front eight minutes after the restart.
A ball over the top from Walker picked out Greg Taylor in an advanced position but visiting goalkeeper Wyll Stanway stood big to deny the defender.
The hosts were slightly more adventurous against their fourth-placed visitors after the interval and the fans responded accordingly.
Lynn appeals for a penalty were waved away by referee Richard Eley after George Morrison went down in the penalty area.
Walker's race was run 12 minutes from time as the hosts made a double change heading into the final few minutes.
Jones produced a stunning save to his left to thwart Glendon in the 81st minute and was called into action again shortly after to foil Caton and Elliott Whitehouse in quick succession as Chester sniffed a winner.
King's Lynn Town (5-3-2): Jones, Taylor, Ronan, Coulson, McFadden, Crowe; Walker (Castro 78), Hargreaves, Morrison; Cybulski (Margetts 78), Devonport (Hughes 89).
Chester (4-4-2): Stanway; Woodthorpe, Okeke (Taylor 69), Burke, Williams; Whitehouse, Daly (Heywood 69), Weeks, Glendon, Peers, Caton.
Attendance: 847
