Barrett wonder goal sees King's Lynn seal late victory at Peterborough Sports
Peterborough Sports 1, King’s Lynn Town 2
National League North
Substitute Josh Barrett left the bench to score an absolute thunderbolt as league leaders King’s Lynn Town claimed a dramatic injury-time victory against Peterborough Sports.
Josh Coulson headed Lynn in front with his first goal for the club early in the second half before Peterborough Sports levelled matters through dangerman Dion Sembie-Ferris.
But Barrett left Lynn’s 385 travelling supporters in pure ecstasy with a belter from all of 35-yards as the visitors extended their unbeaten sequence to six matches.
Tommy Widdrington kept faith with the same starting line-up that was pegged back by Leamington on Saturday, although there was a change on the bench where Ken Charles replaced Spencer Keller.
Peterborough Sports included three players who had donned a Linnets shirt in their team for the clash at the Bee Stadium.
Nathan Fox, long-serving defender Ryan Fryatt – who made just shy of 350 appearances at The Walks – and club icon Michael Gash all started for The Turbines.
Making his first start of the season for the hosts was long-serving midfielder Dan Lawlor.
Gash – the man responsible for winning the club promotion from the Super Play-Off back in 2020 – saw an early header sail over the crossbar in the second minute after a cross from Fox on the left.
The hosts continued their bright start and it took a big save from Paul Jones to keep the score goalless after Jordan Nicholson broke clear from Josh Coulson’s attempted tackle.
It was a competent start from the Peterborough side with Gash’s movement and know-how causing Lynn all kinds of problems in the opening quarter.
Theo Widdrington was inches away from opening the scoring from a free-kick following a push on Omotayo while Aaron Jones tried his luck from long range as Lynn began to come out of their shell.
Jones came to Lynn’s rescue again 10 minutes before the break as he saved with his legs to deny Nicholson for a second time after a threaded ball through Sembie-Ferris.
The Lynn goalkeeper was called upon again to save from Josh McCammon and Nicholson in quick succession towards the interval as the city outfit ended the first half on top.
Lynn replaced Tai Fleming with Ben Stephens at the start of the second half and immediately started on the front foot.
Omotayo’s header from Jordan Ponticelli’s cross was gathered by Peter Crook who was at his best to foil the former Wrexham frontman with a brilliant save two minutes later.
The breakthrough eventually came six minutes after the restart as Clunan delivered a corner from the right and Coulson shook off the attentions of Gash in the box to power home a header.
A resurgent Lynn felt they should have had a penalty as Omotayo went down in the penalty area but referee Ben Wyatt waved appeals away.
Their lead lasted all of ten minutes as Jones failed to claim a clipped ball into the box and Sembie-Ferris gobbled up the opportunity to equalise.
Crook’s fingertips foiled Clunan from firing Lynn back in front 13 minutes from time while Josh Barrett and Omotayo missed further chances as the clocked ticked down.
But Lynn weren’t finished yet as the ball fell to Barrett and the playmaker volleyed home a sure contender for goal of the season.
Peterborough Sports: Crook, Bazeley (Jarvis 75), Fox, Johnson, Fryatt, Lawlor, Sembie-Ferris, Kennedy, Gash, McGammon, Nicholson (Marsh-Brown 59). Subs not used: M. Jones, Hilliard, R. Jones.
Goal: Sembie-Ferris 61.
Booked: Fox.
King’s Lynn Town: P. Jones, A. Jones, Crowther, Coulson, Denton, Fleming (Stephens 46), Widdrington, Clunan, Hargreaves (Barrett 85), Ponticelli (Walker 73), Omatayo. Subs not used: Charles, Knowles.
Goal: Coulson 51, Barrett 90.
Booked: Fleming, A. Jones
Referee: Ben Wyatt.
Attendance: 931 (385 from Lynn).
