Town joint boss Gary Setchell branded his side's first-half performance on Saturday as 'diabolical' – after seeing them stroll to a 6-1 opening day victory.

For 45 minutes the Linnets were guilty of giving the ball away too easily and were more than matched by their opponents in front of a Walks crowd of 729. But second-half goals from Robbie Harris, Ryan Fryatt, Steve Spriggs, Jack Defty and an excellent brace from Danny White secured a comfortable victory for the UCL Premier Division promotion hopefuls.

'I think, at home, that is probably the worst we have played in the first half and we had a few choice words at half-time,' said Setchell. 'We have been working hard on getting the ball back, but we slacked off that and didn't give Irchester enough respect.

'We also didn't retain the ball enough in the first half and we just kept knocking long balls up to Jack (Defty) and that just wasn't good enough.

'In the second half we scored some good goals, but again when we didn't have the ball, I didn't think we worked hard enough. But apart from being diabolical in the first half, we are, however, grateful for the three points, but won't be getting carried away.'

The Linnets did have chances to overcome their shaky first half, but White, Harris, and Defty failed to break the deadlock with their attempts.

Spriggs had the best chance to score after a cross managed to find its way through to the unmarked winger, but he failed to find the back of the net with two attempts on 31 minutes.

The Linnets were then dealt a blow after new signing Paul Cousins limped off with a suspected broken toe just before half-time. But they looked a different side at the start of the second half and quickly took control of the match.

Within two minutes of the re-start, the deadlock was broken after Spriggs whipped in an excellent cross which found Defty who teed up Harris to head home from a few yards.

The visitors were soon back on level terms after Craig Lawman's 30-yard free-kick flew past Alex Street, but defender Ryan Fryatt put Town back in front four minutes later with a clinical header from a corner.

Then on the hour, an unmarked White flung himself at a superb delivery by Luis Duarte and diverted his header pass Langley, who could only stand and watch as the ball soared into the top corner.

The midfielder bagged his second soon after when he ghosted into Irchester's box again and headed home a dangerous cross by Spriggs. The winger then added to the scoreline from a tight angle after a one-two with right-back Ross Watson.

The Linnets continued to pour forward in numbers with the opposition beginning to tire and Defty made it six when he flicked home an inviting cross by Luke Thurlbourne.

Setchell added: 'I thought Danny White worked his socks off and deserved his two goals.

'I thought Stuart Wall was immense at the back and I think he won every first header and obviously the goals.'

• King's Lynn: Street, Watson (C), Duarte, Cousins (Fryatt 38), Wall, White, Spriggs, L Thurlbourne (Buhlemann 62), Defty, Harris (Beaumont 58), J Thurlbourne. Unused subs: Coe, Hails. Goals: Harris 46, Fryatt 52, White 60, 64, Spriggs 68, Defty 76.

• Irchester United: Langley, Maguire (Munro 82), Jones, Lawrence, Gell (C), Bowden, Morris (Hamblin 71), Dudley (Long 85), G Lawman, Stohrer, Lawman. Unused subs: Wilson, Reece. Goal: C Lawman 48. Booking: D Lawman 70.

• Referee: P Goodacre (Lincs).

• Attendance: 729.