King's Lynn Town manager Gary Setchell hailed his side's 5-1 thrashing of St Ives as one of the best performances of the season as the Linnets brought their visitors' nine-game winning streak to a grinding halt.

Lynn eased to a key home win thanks to goals from Dan Buhlemann, Jamie Thurlbourne, Stephen Spriggs, Danny Beaumont and Robbie Harris. Scott Fielding grabbed St Ives' solitary strike.

Setchell said: 'Today was right up there with one of the best performances of the season, some of the passing and movement was first class.'

The manager also praised the impact of new signing Rob Hughes on his full debut: 'He could be a Paul Raynor type player at this level, Rob has got great feet, great awareness and he holds his position well. You won't see him careering up the left or right wing; he is a pick-up man in the centre for us.'

Setchell made one change from the side that performed so well at Tamworth last weekend with Hughes starting his first game for the Linnets, replacing Danny White.

The game started at a frantic pace, as Pat Bexfield stung the hands of Niall Conroy-Owen and former Linnet Jamie Alsop flashed a free-kick inches wide for the visitors.

King's Lynn took the lead through an unlikely source in the 18th minute, Buhlemann stooping to head into the top corner from a Jamie Thurlbourne corner. Two minutes later it was 2-0, the quick thinking Jamie Thurlbourne rifling home a stunning 30 yard free-kick that caught Conroy-Owen way out of position.

More superb football from the hosts led to Jack Defty forcing a point blank save from Conroy-Owen.

The visitors were not going to go down without a fight, and a mesmerising run from Conor Washington forced Alex Street into a brilliant save.

The home side stretched their lead four minutes before half-time with a wonderful move as Jordan Yong threaded the ball through for Luke Thurlbourne, and he unselfishly laid it to Spriggs who tapped home from inside the six-yard box.

Lynn started the second-half as they finished the first, with Beaumont curling a shot inches wide.

Arron Last missed a gilt edged chance for St Ives, misfiring from inside the six-yard box after the lively Washington caused the Lynn backline problems.

Unbelievably, Spriggs missed an easier chance minutes later, as the winger hit the crossbar when it looked easier to score.

St Ives won a penalty on 50 minutes, when Washington drew a foul from Buhlemann. Although Street produced a stunning save, Fielding fired home the rebound to give the visitors a lifeline.

They almost scored again when Lee Ellison's header was touched over by Street, but the Linnets restored their three-goal cushion just after the hour when Beaumont curled in a sublime free-kick.

Substitute Harris put the icing on the cake for The Linnets as he finished coolly after great work from Beaumont.

Harris rounded off the scoring on an extremely good afternoon for the Linnets, who remain third in the table.

• King's Lynn Town: Street, Bexfield (Fryatt), Yong, Watson (c), Buhlemann, Hughes, Spriggs (White), Luke Thurlbourne, Defty (Harris), Beaumont, Jamie Thurlbourne. Subs (not used): Hails, Livoti

Goals: Buhlemann (17), Thurlbourne (19), Spriggs (41), Beaumont (64), Harris (84)

Bookings: none

• St Ives Town: Conroy-Owen, Everdell, Alsop, Newman, Lambert, Last, Foster, Elison (c), Washington, Fielding, Cobb (Robbins). Subs (not used): McDougald, Hugill, Everdell

Goals: Fielding (51)

Bookings: none

• Attendance: 748