Linnets suffer an FA Cup hangover

Their first round win at Port Vale was followed by a thumping at Sutton United – this time it was Bromley who rubbed salt into the wounds of the 6-1 loss at Portsmouth at the weekend.

Lynn were 3-0 down at the break - a combination of their own poor finishing and an inability to defend at set-pieces, and while Simon Power pulled one back early in the second half, the visitors quickly restored their advantage and were rarely troubled.

Manager Ian Culverhouse made four changes from the weekend - Rory McAuley was missing with injury, while Sonny Carey, Jamar Loza and Adam Marriott started on the bench. In came Jordan Richards, Ryan Jarvis, Cameron King and Kairo Mitchell.

Ross Barrows in possession for the Linnets (Image: Ian Burt)

Lynn should have been ahead on seven minutes, after Michael Clunan brilliantly found Power down the right. The on-loan Norwich City flier put it straight into the box where Kairo Mitchell was waiting, but the striker somehow scooped the ball over the bar from eight yards.

Bromley skipper Byron Webster did well with a header from a free-kick which looped over Archie Mair and on to the top of the net, but the early stages were scrappy.

Alabi was furious when he was denied a penalty when he and Chris Smith went to ground as they looked to be first to a cross from the left – indicative of the early action.

Bromley were even angrier when Callan-McFadden's challenge left Luke Coulson writing on the ground, after a little hesitancy it has to be said. The Lynn player appeared to get the ball, but referee Robert Massey-Ellis produced a yellow card for the defender – and for Lynn’s director of football Robbie Back after words were exchanged between the two camps.

Lynn's director of football Robbie Back is shown a yellow card (Image: Ian Burt)

The visitors will claim justice was done when Chris Bush’s resulting free-kick was nodded on and Alabi got a second header to steer it past Mair on 22 minutes.

Simon Power should have done better but shot over from the edge of the area, but moments later was closer with a right-footed effort as he cut in from the left after the visitors failed to clear his corner.

Mitchell wanted one touch too many in a one-on-one with keeper Mark Cousins, who smothered easily., while at the other end Mair did well to push away an Alabi shot.

Mair then got down well to deny an advancing Alabi, who beat Lynn’s offside trap and headed straight for goal.

But three minutes from half-time he could do nothing to prevent Michael Cheek from scoring from close range as Coulson led a Bromley break, instigated by Liam Trotter – it was quick and clinical and came at a stage when Lynn had looked more dangerous.

On the stroke of half-time Trotter made it 3-0 when he fired home from close range after Lynn again failed to deal with a free-kick into the box.

Lynn were back in with a shout on 51 minutes when Power picked up the loose ball from his own corner on the left and returned it with interest into the far corner

But four minutes later Bromley restored their three-goal advantage: King lost possession and Reeco Hackett-Fairchild fired it past Mair from the left of the area.

Lynn huffed and puffed for the remainder of the half but rarely troubled the visitors’ goal.

It was a disappointing night, not helped by the loss of Callan-McFadden with what looked like a hamstring injury. Culverhouse will be hoping that he isn't without both Callan-McFadden and McAuley for the weekend trip north to Altrincham.

King's Lynn Town: Mair, Barrows, Smith, Callan-McFadden (Fleming 64), Brown, Jarvis, Clunan, Richards, Power, Mitchell (Southwell 66), King (Carey 66). Subs not used: Loza, Marriott.

Bromley: Cousins, Kizzi, Bingham, Bush, Coulson, Cheek, Alabi, Hackett-Fairchild, Roberts, Trotter, Webster (Holland 78). Subs not used: Raymond, Purrington, Forster, L'Ghoul.