King's Lynn 3 Daventry Utd 0
24th March 2012
ON a glorious spring afternoon, the Linnets took another step along the road towards the UCL title with a comfortable home win.
A second half brace from Jack Defty, following Jason Turner's strike midway through the first period, eventually ended any hopes a spirited Daventry side might have had of hampering Lynn's championship challenge.
Linnets boss Gary Setchell said: "It was a routine win, another clean sheet and we've scored three goals, with our front two complementing each other so well.
"I thought we were comfortable in the first half. We created a number of chances and hit the woodwork twice. We needed to press on in the second half and that's exactly what we did."
Despite Turner shooting narrowly wide, there was little in a relatively quiet opening period to calm any nervous Lynn fans in the crowd, particularly as it emerged that title rivals Long Buckby were already ahead in their game against Holbeach.
But, as Turner and Stuart Wall both went close with headers and Jamie Thurlbourne hit the bar with a free-kick, it seemed only a matter of time before the home side would score.
And the breakthrough came on 24 minutes - Turner sliding the ball home from six yards after latching onto Wall's clearance.
There were few moments of concern at the back for Lynn, though Will Briscoe did fire a shot just wide late in the half.
But the hosts always looked more likely to double their lead and were denied on several occasions, as Rob Hughes and captain Ross Watson both had efforts cleared from in front of the goal line. Defty also had a shot saved by Anthony O�Connor, while Danny Beaumont ended the half by heading onto the top of the bar.
A second goal finally came 13 minutes after the restart when Defty, who had guided a similar delivery just wide shortly before, powerfully headed home a Jamie Thurlbourne corner.
And the game was effectively over four minutes later when the big striker grabbed his second of the afternoon, converting substitute Stephen Spriggs� centre.
Spriggs and fellow replacement Ciaran Beales both missed chances to add to their side�s tally as Lynn continually threatened to extend their lead.
But probably the most eye-catching moment of the last quarter came at the other end as Alex Street preserved his side�s clean sheet with an outstanding save to keep out Liam Cope�s header.
King's Lynn Town: Street, Deeney, Buhlemann, Watson, Wall, Hughes, Beaumont (Spriggs 57), L. Thurlbourne (White 70), Defty (Beales 70), Turner, J. Thurlbourne. Subs not used: Fryatt, Hails.
Goals: Turner 24, Defty 58, 62.
Daventry: O�Connor, Cope, Beevor, Moss, Hill, Champelovier (Taolin 88), Childs (Trill 77), Waldock, Lorraine, Briscoe (Hunt 88), Gould. Sub not used: Foster. Booked: Champelovier, Waldock, Lorraine.
Attendance: 655.