Peterborough Northern Star 2 King's Lynn 2
31st December 2011
LINNETS boss Gary Setchell called on fans to remain patient after seeing his side lose their 100 per cent away record against Peterborough Northern Star on Saturday.
The Walks outfit let a two-goal lead slip in the last 12 minutes as Lynn failed to capitalise on Long Buckby's first dropped points of the season following a 3-3 draw with Holbeach.
A disappointed Setchell said: "The fans are going to be disgruntled when you're 2-0 up and Long Buckby have dropped points, as we've missed a great opportunity.
"Supporters are going to voice their opinions, but no-one is more disappointed than the players and me.
"Titles are not won in December, they're won in May and there are going to be a lot of twists and turns before then. It's a case of staying focused. When we've got a full team out there, which we will have soon, it will help us."
Setchell added: "It was perhaps a game we did not deserve to be 2-0 up in, but we found ourselves in that position and we were looking comfortable until they scored.
"Unfortunately goals change games - they scored a scruffy one and it totally changed the game and we didn't show enough compusure to see it out.
"The second was definitely a penalty, no argument about that, but it was disappointing because it would have been another great victory.
"It wasn't a case of us relaxing, when you're going for titles you don't relax.
"They got their tails up and with Jack Defty and Ross Watson missing we maybe didn't have enough experience to see it out. It's not often we relinquish a lead but we need to learn from it."
Lynn took the lead at Chestnut Avenue with just six minutes on the clock, Luke Thurlbourne heading home Stephen Spriggs' pinpoint centre.
The Linnets went further ahead 12 minutes after the restart when Star defender Mark Cox was caught in possession and Spriggs was left with the easiest of tap-ins to make it 2-0.
The introduction of Karl Gibbs and Avelino Vieira for PNS changed the game and on 77 minutes Gibbs replied for Star, shooting home after his initial shot had been blocked.
Lynn substitute Robbie Harris headed against the crossbar, but Town's perfect away record fell when Vieira's run into the box was clumsily halted by Dan Buhlemann and Jon Stead converted from the spot for his 22nd goal of the campaign.
King's Lynn Town: Street, Fryatt, Yong, Wall, Buhlemann, Hughes, Spriggs (White), L Thurlbourne, Harrold (Harris), Beaumont (Moriera) J Thurlbourne.
Unused Subs: Coe, Hails Booked: Luke Thurlbourne.
Attendance: 466. MoM: Luke Thurlbourne.