King's Lynn Town are on their travels this weekend, with a long trip to Yeovil - Chris Lakey looks at some of the main talking points
Jeepers keepers
There’s no doubt that Paul Jones’s presence in goal will be a major boost for the Linnets. The 35-year-old was excellent against Southend a week ago and will be a good influence on a back line still getting to know each other on the pitch.
Jones’s previous clubs include Leyton Orient, Exeter City, Peterborough United, Crawley Town, Portsmouth, Norwich City, Fleetwood Town and Sheffield Wednesday – no wonder Lynn were happy to have him at The Walks.
Last season Lynn had a nasty habit of conceding goals in bunches – one went in, the heads dropped and another quickly followed: it didn’t happen last week when Southend got their early goal, much of it due to Jones.
Archie Mair and Theo Richardson were between the sticks last season and when the going got tough, they struggled. Jones is a different story- albeit with the advantage of playing for a full-time Linnets team.
“You can see he is very calm, there is not fluster around him,” said Culverhouse. “He just talks to people and dictates where he wants them in space.
“He has got bags and bags of experience, he’s been around the block a few times and we were young last year with the keepers and sometimes they can get a little bit bullied and not be as vocal, but with Jonesey in there we will be safe.”
Striker light
Junior Morias is missing because of suspension, so what problems will that cause Lynn? Manager Ian Culverhouse might just have opted for one up front anyway – it wouldn’t be the first time – and as Morias is the smaller of the little and large pairing, Gold Omotayo might have found himself with the lone role. Malachi Linton is an option, but having added midfielder Brett McGavin, on loan from Ipswich, he does have the option of adding to the central mix. What Morias’s absence does do is reduce the option for resting tired legs – he is also banned for Monday’s home game against Chesterfield and next weekend’s trip to Eastleigh. It’s a busy week so we might see some advantage from the move to full-time training.
Team news
Lynn will be without striker Junior Morias, who is out for three games following his straight red against Southend last week for stamping on an opponent. If Lynn manager Ian Culverhouse opts to play two up front again he has recent recruit Malachi Linton available – although he may well stick with just Gold Omotayo, a former Yeovil player, in attack. Midfielder Cameron King has a fitness issue so will be absent again. Joe Rowley did well last week, but there is also Brett McGavin available after his loan move from Ipswich on Thursday.
Yeovil have a number of absentees - Mark Little and Reuben Reid are long-term injury problems. Alex Bradley is out as he struggles with the long-term effects of Covid, whilst Cambridge loanee Lewis Simper is also unavailable.
Yeovil
Yeovil manager Darren Sarll should have been watching his team play Wrexham last week, but when that was called off, he headed to King’s Lynn for the Linnets’ opener against Southend.
Sarll has one thing on his mind. “Promotion, definitely,” he told Yeovil’s official web site. “It doesn’t matter how many years we stay out the EFL, that is till the aim. I still want to win every week, I want to go to Stockport and Wrexham and take them on.”
Last season
Lynn opened against Yeovil, live on BT Sport, and after going 2-0 down, fought back well to claim a point after goals from Dayle Southwell and Adam Marriott
It was a different story at Huish Park in May, when Lynn lost 3-1, their goal from a Simeon Jackson penalty.
Team photos
Sod's law that the day a club gets its team picture done, there are going to be players missing. The Linnets squad lined up for the photographer this week, with no Cameron King - who's out with a fitness problem - and before Brett McGavin joined on loan from Ipswich. Plus, Tai Fleming was in the picture - but he has now joined Lowestoft Town on loan.
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