Bedford Town 0 King's Lynn 3
24th March 2008
The Linnets resurrected their title hopes at the New Eyrie as they stretched their unbeaten league run to 16 matches yesterday with a 3-0 win at Bedford.First half goals from Ben Sedgemore, Matt Nolan's fifth strike in six games, and a late free-kick from Michael Frew helped Lynn banish the memories of dropped points from their previous two away games.
And with Team Bath suffering a home reverse at the hands of Halesowen, Lynn move to within touching distance of their rivals at the top.
Lynn still remain third, but now trail Team Bath – the visitors to The Walks on April 5 – by a point and Halesowen by two points, with two games in hand on the Yeltz.
Linnets boss Keith Webb kept faith with the same line-up that thrashed Cirencester at the weekend.
Midfielder Mark Camm was close to making a swift return from injury, but was not risked for the Easter Monday clash.
The hosts posed the first threat on target in the second minute with Derwayne Stupple finding the safe hands of keeper Scott Howie after his effort took a slight deflection.
Lynn's first chance came in the eighth minute when Andrew Fisk's ball sent Nolan bursting through, but the striker blazed high and wide when well-placed against his former club.
The Linnets opened the scoring in the 13th minute when a four-man move ended with Nolan dummying the ball in the box for Sedgemore to drill home from ten yards.
Two minutes later Lynn opened up the Bedford defence again when Rikki Bains combined with Nolan to free John Turner on the right.
Turner's centre found Bains, but the defender's header was comfortably dealt with by Eagles keeper Andrew Stevens.
Midway through the half Gavin Hoyte's dipping volley from Joe Francis's corner just evaded the home crossbar.
Bains then picked out Nolan, whose turn-and-shot just whistled wide.
The Walks outfit continued to attack almost at will, and in the 26th minute Jack Defty nodded a Francis free-kick over the woodwork.
But Lynn's large contingent of travelling supporters didn't have to wait too much longer for a second when in the 28th minute Nolan finished Sedgemore's threaded pass with great aplomb.
Nolan's deft flick was turned behind for a corner and Defty's outstretched leg just failed to connect with Fisk's delivery as Lynn remained in control.
Ten minutes before the interval Ben Chapman, nursing a cracked rib from the weekend, was replaced by Dean West.
Five minutes after the restart, Defty's header was scrambled off the line.
Midway through the half Eddie Lawley screwed wide for the Eagles, and shortly after Fisk was on hand to clear a Rob Miller effort.
Linnets substitute Frew fired a free-kick over the bar and fellow sub Danny Bloomfield went close within a minute of coming on the field, but Lynn lacked their attacking threat of the first period, having already inflicted the damage on the hosts.
Deep into stoppage time Bloomfield was fouled on the edge of the box, and Frew curled home a delightful free-kick with virtually the last kick of the game.
Bedford: Stevens, Miller, Lawley, Darby, Grieve, Hatch, Fry (Childs 60), Stupple, Phillips, Sozzo, Sinclair (Draycott 60). Sub not used: Gentle. Booked: Stupple.
Lynn: Howie, Bains, Chapman (West 35), Hoyte, Crane, Fisk, Turner (Bloomfield 75), Sedgemore, Defty (Frew 55), Nolan, Francis. Not used: Melton, Murray.
Referee: N. Hair. Attendance: 615. MoM: Ben Sedgemore.
Stats, Lynn first: shots on target 7, 4; off target 7, 2; corners 7, 3; offside 1, 5; free-kicks 11, 15.