Chesham 1 King’s Lynn Town 3: Linnets get the win they need to secure home advantage in play-offs
Ian Culverhouse's King's Lynn Town side will have home advantage in the play-offs after securing second place with a 3-1 win at Chesham. Picture: Archant - Credit: Archant
King's Lynn Town turned in a professional and composed performance to secure the all important second-placed finish at The Meadow on Saturday.
A first half brace from Craig Parker and a sublime Cameron Norman free kick ensured that Town have home advantage for Wednesday evening's semi final clash with fifth-placed Weymouth. If successful they will then entertain the winners of the Slough v Kettering tie on Bank Holiday Monday.
Just as they did in last weekend's match with St Neots, the Linnets began brightly with Ryan Hawkins testing Hafed Al–Droubi and Cameron King seeing a shot blocked following a scramble in the Generals defence.
Frazer Blake–Tracy looped a header wide from close in before the pressure finally told as Parker produced an assured finish from inside the box for his first goal since December following a short pass from Michael Gash which rounded off a good Lynn team move.
The same player doubled his own and his teams tally midway through the half when he again converted from close range, this time after King had caused panic amongst the home defence following a mazy run. Toby Hilliard headed over from another slick Linnets move and then Hawkins fired wide as the visitors threatened to kill the game as a contest before the break.
You may also want to watch:
Any slight doubts as to the outcome of the game were put to bed minutes after the restart when Norman produced a spectacular free kick from fully 25 yards which left Al–Droubi rooted to the spot as the ball sailed passed the keeper and into the top right hand corner of the net.
The goal seemed finally to ignite the home side and Shane Bush reduced the arrears from the edge of the box for Chesham.
Most Read
- 1 Mum's heartfelt tribute to daughter who died in A47 collision
- 2 Fire crews rush to a crash near Norfolk village
- 3 Police swoop on Norwich address
- 4 Two men in critical condition as multiple people stabbed
- 5 Rail services affected after person hit by train
- 6 Asda and Amazon urgently recall items due to safety concerns
- 7 Norwich cat torturer who murdered pensioner ‘planned to carry on killing’
- 8 Swathes of new homes for village move step closer with new planning bid
- 9 Flight bound for Norwich turns back to Aberdeen
- 10 Farm worker fined after hay bales fall off trailer and hit car
Ex Lowestoft Town forward Jefferson Louis's introduction saw the big striker curl an effort wide before Simon Lappin forced Al–Droubi into a flying save with a long range piledriver at the other end. There was still time for Parker to complete a treble but the midfielder pushed a shot just wide following Hawkins pass.
The win was Lynn's 30th of the campaign and gave them a round 100 points to finish for the season. With the regular season now over Town now find themselves two wins away from a return to step two football for the first time since the 2008/09 season with supporters hoping that departing manager Ian Culverhouse can leave them with a memorable leaving gift.
Chesham United: Al–Droubi, Crilley (Smaldone), Dhillon, Bevans, Murphy, Locke, Bates, Green (Louis), Bush, Swales (Shamsi), Pearce. Unused subs: Hall, McGleish.
Goal; Bush 55
King's Lynn Town: Street, Norman, Blake–Tracy, Frary, Jarvis, King, Parker, Gash (Siddons), Hilliard (Mettam), Hawkins (Fryatt), Lappin. Unused subs: Ward, McQuaid.
Goals: Parker 6, 23. Norman 55.
Referee: Neil Morrison
Attendance: 341
