Adam Lakeland hailed Kyle Callan-McFadden as a “manager’s dream” after his inspired performance helped the Linnets to a 3-1 win at Brackley Town.

The 28-year-old – who won the FA Youth Cup with Norwich City a decade ago – put Lynn ahead for the second time with a 59th-minute header after Owen Davenport’s first-half opener was cancelled out by a leveller two minutes before the break. Sam Walker’s free-kick on 80 minutes sealed a win over a side which started the day in fifth place in the National League North table.

Callan-McFadden has missed just two games this season – but it was his first league goal for the club, at the 111th attempt.

“He was the same as he is every week,” Linnets boss Lakeland told the club's official channels. “He is reliable, you know what you are getting, he is a manager’s dream really because every single week he is a seven or eight out of 10 - every single week. Some weeks he will be a nine. Probably with him getting that goal it was a nine or 10 out of 10 performance because he was superb.

“I thought all the backline were because their strikers, Danny Newton and Connor Hall and the volume of goals those lads are able to score, (James) Armson arriving from midfield and then the wing backs - they are a good side. They ask questions of you and the backline has to be resolute and I thought the backline did incredibly well, particularly in the second half. Macca obviously getting his goal - which is long overdue - was certainly a standout.”

Lynn’s win wasn’t quite enough to get the out of the relegation zone, but they are now six points ahead of the team below them, Gloucester, and separated from Rushall, in the last safe spot, by goal difference only.

But the result and the performance will do the Linnets a world of good.

“I thought we were great the whole game,” said Lakeland. “This is one of the hardest places in this league to come and they’re a good side this year, really good.”

Brackley: Lewis, Carline, Calder (Evans 82), Murombedzi, Dean (Matwasa 80), Bates, Newton, Armson (Turner 80), Lyttle, Hall, Lilly. Subs not used: Gudger, O’Sullivan. Goal: Newton 43.

King’s Lynn Town: Jones, Ronan, McFadden, Taylor, Coulson, Crowe, Hargreaves, Castro (Walker 73), Morrison, Stephens (Cybulski 83), Devonport. Subs not used: Brown, Rogers, Isaacson. Goals:  Devonport 27, McFadden 59, Walker 80.

Attendance: 610.