King's Lynn Town maintained their three-point cushion at the top of the table after victory in south Wales.

The Linnets got themselves back to winning ways thanks an early strike from Michael Gash.

Lynn were without the suspended duo Michael Clunan and Ryan Fryatt, Sam Gaughran and Dion Frary came into the starting XI, Toby Hilliard was also restored to the squad after his loan spell at Dereham Town came to end.

It was the perfect start for Lynn when what proved to be the only goal of the game arrived on five minutes.

A delightful pass from Ryan Hawkins found Gash inside in the area, His touch and finish matched the quality of the pass from Hawkins as he slipped the ball under the advancing Oliver Davies.

The Linnets then had to weather a heavy amount of pressure from the home side – Ashley Evans got onto the end of an Ian Traylor corner and his header was cleared off the line by the covering Hawkins.

Lynn almost doubled their lead just before the half-time break, Craig Parker heading over from a Simon Lappin cross from the right.

Keeper Alex Street was then called into action as the clock ticked 65 minutes, Traylor benefited from some slack Linnets defending before unleashing a shot that was superbly saved by the fingertips of Street.

The home side were then reduced to 10 men when centre defender Jarrad Evans received his marching orders for hauling down substitute Leon Mettam.

Mettam should have wrapped up all the points for Lynn after he beat two defenders with some neat twists and turns before unleashing a low shot that was well saved by Davies in the home goal.

'I'm delighted with the lads today,' said manager Ian Culverhouse. 'To a man we were solid. We weren't particularly good on the ball today but the lads stuck at it and we stood up to the task.

'All over the pitch we battled, from one to 11, and even the lads that came off the bench they did their jobs well. That's the response we needed, It's not going to be pretty every week and it was ugly today but we've come away with the three points.

'We're taking one game at a time, Let other people worry about what's going on, and we will close the doors, circle the wagons and not listen to the noise, We need to remain focused and take one game at a time and keep picking the three points up.'

Merthyr: O Davies, A Davies, Tancock, Wright, Harris, Evans, Reddy. Franklin, Traylor, Bowen, Jenkins Subs: John, Martin, Lewis, Flower, Prosser

Lynn: Street, Norman (McQuaid), Blake-Tracy, Gaughran, Ward, Frary (McLeish), Lappin, Jarvis, Gash, Parker, Hawkins (Mettam). Subs: Siddons, Hilliard, Mettam, McQuaid, McLeish. Scorer: Gash 5

Attendance: 502