King’s Lynn Town 2 Alfreton 1

King‘s Lynn Town broke their winless duck for the season and showed some glimpses of the style which took them to runners-up spot just a few months ago.

The opening five games had been hard going for the hosts, but the win should do wonders for their confidence.

It took them 45 minutes to get going – they were grateful for the safe hands of experienced keeper Paul Jones, who ensured they went in goalless at the break.

But a goal within a minute of the restart from recent signing Bartosz Cybulski – the first time Lynn have opened the scoring this season – changed the tone.

Two penalties in the space of two minutes saw Lynn’s lead extended, then halved, but they kept their nerve

“Really, really happy for the players, for the staff and for the fans,” said Lynn boss Mark Hughes.

Hughes made a late decision to call his players in for training on Sunday, 24 hours after their 3-0 at Chorley.

“We got back in yesterday, back on the horse, and we go again,” he said. “I’m delighted for myself for everybody, but especially for the fans here. We mentioned it that when we're playing well, the crowds go up and it’s so important that we make this place a really tough place to come to because it's a tough place to get to, so we know the journeys people have and we’ve got to start games well.

“Hopefully this is a real stepping stone for something great.”

Hughes made two changes to his starting line-up from the team that went down 3-1 at Chorley on Saturday, Tommy Hughes and Jordan Ponticelli on the bench, replaced by Sion Spence and Ben Stephens.

Stephens had a golden opportunity to put Lynn ahead with exactly a minute on the clock, his diving header from Tom Clifford’s cross from the left straight at keeper George Willis.

Willis had to get down quickly to keep out Josh Barrett’s drive after good work down the right flank by Kian Ronan.

Lynn were looking more comfortable in the early stages, Stephens busy up front, Barrett showing the inventiveness that can create openings, although Joshua Clackstone’s 25-yarder which took a horrible deflection, kept them honest at the back.

But as the half-hour mark approached, there were murmurings of frustration as the hosts began to enjoy more possession.

Jake Day’s late tackle on Lynn defender Emmanuel Oke earned him and Alfreton boss Billy Heath a yellow card.  It could have been the blue touchpaper moment, but Lynn didn’t react.

They were indebted to Jones for a terrific save from Liam Waldock’s drive from the edge of the box which kept it goalless – although Kennedy Digie had the ball in the net on 35 minutes the referee ruled it out for a foul.

Jones had to tip over a Day piledriver and then somehow kept the ball out from the resulting corner.

Shaun Brisley lobbed the ball over from a corner and Lynn will have been thankful to be level at the break.

Lynn needed a helping hand and they got it within a minute of the restart when Clifford did well to get in a cross deep down the left, a slight deflection setting it up perfectly for Cybulski to volley home from close range.

Then came a mad five minutes: Digie was fortunate to stay on after pulling down Cybulski and denying him a goal-scoring opportunity, but the Lynn man was adjudged offside. Then, on 58 minutes, Lynn went ahead from the penalty spot after Willis fouled Jack Smith as he went for a header. Barrett stepped up and smashed the ball home.

But within 60 seconds, the referee was pointing to the spot at the other end after Josh Coulson had fouled Jordan Thewlis – who dusted himself down to score from 12 yards.

Lynn had been much better after the break but needed that two-goal cushion back – Stephens hit the bottom of the right post then saw an effort deflected wide after excellent work by Oke.

But it was Lynn who walked off victorious – and deservedly so.

King’s Lynn Town: Jones, Ronan, Oke, Coulson, McFadden, Clifford, Spence, Smith, Stephens (Hughes 88), Barrett (Ponticelli 69), Cybulski (Fatadjo 80). Subs not used: Isaacson, Bartley.

Goals: Cybulski 46, Barrett 59 pen.

Alfreton: Willis, Clackstone (Dwyer 90), Lund (Grewal-Pollard 82), Digie, Wiley, Thewlis, Cantrill, Day, Salmon (Starkie 65), Brisley, Waldock. Subs not used: Oliver, Askew.

Goal: Thewlis 61 pen

Att: 948