King's Lynn 3 Solihull Moors 0
1st November 2008
HIGH-profile summer signing Julian Joachim justified his first start for four games with a brace as the Linnets ended a run of three successive home defeats at The Walks.
Joachim tormented the Solihull defence all afternoon with his pace, while fellow frontman Jack Defty was also on target from the penalty spot before being sent-off for dangerous play 15 minutes from time.
Linnets' boss Keith Webb carried out his threat of ringing the changes, dropping the trio of Joe Francis, Charlie Defty and Andrew Fisk to the Reserves.
Webb handed loan signing Bradley Thomas a place alongside Greg Crane in the heart of the Linnets defence, while Luke Graham - Lynn's other temporary acquisition - played at right back.
Ben Sedgemore played with Adam Smith in the middle of the park, while Joachim joined Defty up-front at the expense of John Turner.
Understandably, the Linnets made a nervous start as they tried to regain some much-needed confidence.
Solihull enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges with Marcus Palmer going close for the visitors from a corner.
Jake Edwards should have fired Solihull in front in the 11th minute after a slip by Ben Chapman, but chose to round Linnets goalkeeper Scott Howie before hitting the post from a tight angle.
Half-chances fell the way of both Adam Smith and Defty as Lynn tried to gain some momentum.
Fifteen minutes before the break, Lynn’s recent injury curse struck again when Thomas limped off the field with an Achilles injury, to be replaced by the fit-again Simon Weaver.
The deadlock was broken in the 35th minute when a long ball by Greg Crane at the back fell to Joachim, who killed the ball dead before firing a curling shot in off the post past Moors’ keeper Daniel Crane.
Five minutes later it was 2-0 when Defty was wrestled to the ground and the striker picked himself up to score his first-ever penalty in Lynn colours.
Solihull were the better side at the start of the second half as they tried to find a way back into the game.
Peter Fauld’s saw his shot blocked for a corner, while Howie denied Simon Travis with a smart stop.
The Linnets were reduced to ten men in the 75th minute when Defty’s challenge on Liam Daly was deemed to have been too high and the striker was shown a straight red card.
Just as Solihull sensed there could be a way back into the game a flowing move involving both Michael Frew and Chapman found Joachim, who made no mistake with the finish from 15 yards out.
Solihull: Crane, Travis, Motteram, Collins (Streete 45), Daly, English, Faulds, Middleton, Edwards, Anderson (Moore 60), Palmer (Ducross 60).Subs not used: Tuohy, Rachel.
Referee: Mick George, North Walsham.
Attendance: 970.
MoM: Julian Joachim.
Stats, Lynn first: shots on target 6, 5; off target 3, 4; corners 7, 5; offside 3, 1; free-kicks conceded 13, 9. Report by permission of the Lynn News