King's Lynn Town manager Gary Setchell paid tribute to talismanic striker Jack Defty, as the big number nine scored his 150th goal for King's Lynn as the Linnets edged to a 3-2 win over neighbours Spalding.

Defty, Jordan Yong and Stephen Spriggs grabbed Lynn's goals while former Linnet Simon Mowbray grabbed a brace for the visitors.

Setchell said: 'People, who watched the 10 or 11 games we played without Jack, will realise how big of a figure he is at this football club. It is no coincidence that since he has been back we have been able to play much better football. He is such a big presence up front and makes a massive difference to us.'

Danny Beaumont started ahead of Robbie Harris in the only change from the Lynn side who bowed out of the Norfolk Senior Cup at the hands of Norwich City Reserves on Wednesday.

The Linnets started brightly and took a deserved lead on 14 minutes, Jack Defty netted his 150th goal in a King's Lynn shirt as he diverted Jamie Thurlbourne's well struck volley into the net. The home side suffered a set-back soon after when new signing Ashley Deeney limped off and had to be replaced by Dan Buhlemann.

Spalding levelled proceedings on 22 minutes when Ricky Miller released Mowbray who finished superbly into the far corner. The away side were only level for four minutes; Jordan Yong burst through the Spalding defence and fired superbly in off the far post. The Linnet's full back's goal a real collector's item.

Linnets almost stretched their lead in bizarre fashion, Spalding striker Greg Smith heading the ball against his own post from Jamie Thurlbourne's superb corner, Danny White also almost doubled Lynn's advantage, but his shot struck Defty on the line, despite the striker's best efforts to get out of the way.

Lynn started the second half in much the same vein, Jamie Thurlbourne going close with an early free-kick. Beaumont almost wrapped up the points with 18 minutes remaining when he latched onto a Defty flick, but lashed his volley just wide, minutes later it was 3-1, Spriggs tapped in from close range.

Spalding pulled a goal back two minutes later, when Mowbray tapped in his second goal of the game from inside the 6 yard box after Alex Street failed to hold Callum Earls' drive, but it proved to be too little too late for the visitors as Lynn held out for all three points.

• King's Lynn Town: Street, Deeney (Buhlemann), Fryatt, Wall, Yong (Watson), Spriggs, White, L.Thurlbourne, J. Thurlbourne, Defty (C), Beaumont (Hughes).

Unused Subs: Hails, Harris

Goals: Defty (14), Yong (26), Spriggs (72)

• Spalding: Conway, Ford, Earls, Thompson, Fuff (C), Ashton, French, Brady (Harris), Smith, Mowbray, Miller.

Unused Subs:Lyon, Cherry, Hussey

Goals: Mowbray (22, 74)

• Attendance: 635