King's Lynn 0, Corby 1Woeful Lynn last night crashed to their first Southern League, Premier Division home defeat of the season.Darren Lynch rifled past Scott Howie inside the opening five minutes for the struggling Steelmen to settle the contest.

King's Lynn 0, Corby 1

Woeful Lynn last night crashed to their first Southern League, Premier Division home defeat of the season.

Darren Lynch rifled past Scott Howie inside the opening five minutes for the struggling Steelmen to settle the contest.

Michael Frew's weak eighth minute missed penalty straight at Corby stopper Steve Ryan summed up Lynn's lifeless display.

Linnets' chief Keith Webb was forced into a late change when former Norwich midfielder Phil Mulryne picked up a suspected groin injury during the warm-up.

Shaun Carey was drafted in for his first league start of the season to face the side he broke his leg against during last year's corresponding fixture.

Skipper Mark Warren (calf) returned after missing Lynn's FA Trophy replay win over Billericay. Craig Fleming (ankle) and John Turner (calf) joined Joe Francis (knee) on the sidelines.

Lynch applied the cool finish to Corby's first counter after Lynn had failed to clear. Frew spurned an instant chance to reply from the spot after Matt Nolan was upended by Ryan. The blond midfielder failed to repeat last week's Billericay spot kick success - Ryan dropping on his tame penalty dragged down the middle.

Nolan diverted Carey's drilled free kick behind before Andrew Fisk tumbled under Adam Wykes' heavy challenge - referee Hair waving away loud appeals for a second penalty.

Frew tugged wide after his burst took him clear of Corby's back pedalling defence. Nolan's rasping volley flew into the Tennyson Road with Lynn attempting to up the ante. Howie's point blank heroics denied Corby a second in the closing stages of the half - beating away Lawrence Lambley's back post strike.

Ryan dropped on Tom Bonner's misplaced flick before Crane hammered a 25-yard free kick wide.

Jack Defty appeared to be manhandled inside the Corby box as Lynn pushed the visitors back on the restart. Paul Caswell fired off target on a swift Corby counter.

Lambley dragged his angled shot at Howie after one time Lynn target Steve Diggin had badgered the home backline before Bonner raced clean through only to clip Howie's right hand upright.

Nolan turned Liam Nicell but slammed the side netting. Caswell's sliced clearance reared up over his own crossbar as Lynn searched for a late leveller.

Howie went full length to grab Wykes' flighted free kick before the unmarked Lynch's diving header flew wide with Corby now picking holes in the porous Lynn defence.

Wayne Diuk's hack on the flying Mark Heath-Preston sparked a minor melee between the two opposing dugouts but Corby comfortably played out time to wreck Lynn's 100pc home record.

King's Lynn: Howie, West, Chapman, Warren, Crane, Camm, Frew (Heath-Preston 72), Fisk (Bloomfield 59), J Defty, Carey, Nolan. Subs (not used): Lake, Murray, C Defty.

Bookings: Carey, Crane

Corby: Ryan, Diuk, Nicell, Scott, Bonner, Wykes, Lambley (Jones 90), Caswell, Lynch, Diggin (Jackson 88), Patterson (Gould 45). Subs (not used): Daley, Difante.

Bookings: Scott, Diuk

Goal: Lynch (5)

Referee: N Hair (Peterborough)

Attendance: 744