King's Lynn Town came from behind twice to claim a point at a murky Westwood Road on Saturday afternoon.

The nippy Liam Read had twice put the Saints in front but goals from skipper Jack Defty and Jamie Thurlbourne ensured that the Linnets returned home with a point from a game that neither side deserved to lose.

Afterwards boss Gary Setchell declared himself pleased with his teams display: 'We were a lot better today than we were at Blackstones in the week. It was a much better team performance and we gave it a go.

'The players knew that we were not happy after Wednesday and they have gone out and given it a real go in difficult conditions. It was really like a cup tie out there with lots of chances and fine saves from both keepers and the supporters have really had their moneys worth from that.'

The only disappointment for Setchell was that it took his team too fall behind twice before playing to their full capability: 'I just don't know what the problem is, especially away from the Walks. It's frustrating because it shouldn't take that for us to start playing to the standard which we can. Even though the performance was better we have to admit that in the grand scheme of things its another couple of points lost.

'We are competing in a unique league this season where taking a point from a top half side away from home is not good enough. Usually winning your home matches and picking up draws away is considered title winning form. We could end up with 100 points and that would still not be enough to win this league. However we just have to keep going and competing and just worry about us - nothing else.'

Defty wriggled free of his marker in the early exchanges but his shot was blocked by Dan Mayes and the Saints Read failed to test Alex Street with a free header. Thurlbourne's free kick picked out Brady Stone who forced keeper Niall Conroy-Owen into an acrobatic save and Dan Matson fired into the side netting as the exchanges remained even. Defty saw his goalbound header tipped away by Conroy-Owen and Matson spooned over from close in for the hosts.

The home side took the lead right on the stroke of half-time when the impressive Read, on loan to the Saints from Rushden & Diamonds, took full advantage of an awkward bouncing ball and lobbed an advancing Street from eight yards. With Setchell's words still ringing in their ears the Linnets returned looking a sharper unit and Defty quickly restored parity as he darted in front of his marker to nod home from close in seven minutes after the restart.

The goal was the cue for a frantic and exciting passage of play as Patrick Bexfield cleared a Read header from his line. Conroy-Owen produced a stunning double save to deny the busy Defty and Danny White with the resulting corner seeing yet another Defty header cleared off the line.

Moments later Read scored from close in following a quick home break which caught Lynn cold but the lead was to last a mater of minutes as Thurlbourne rounded off a quality Lynn move with an assured 12 yard finish.

In the dying minutes White blazed over following more good visiting movement and Thurlbourne was denied by Conroy-Owen's legs. At the other end Street denied Conor Washington with virtually the final kick to preserve Lynn's point.

• St Ives Town: Conroy-Owen, Duncliffe, Mayes, Newman, Phillips, Dear, Foster (Cobb), Ellison, Matson, Read (Washington), Kennett (Bannister)

Unused subs: Fielding, Poole.

Bookings: Kennett

• King's Lynn Town: Street, Bexfield, (Buhlemann), Alsop, Milson (Luke Thurlbourne), McNeil, Stone, Spriggs, White, Defty, Cubberley (Harris), Jamie Thurlbourne.

Unused Subs: Doherty, Smith.

Bookings: Bexfield, Cubberley, Luke Thurlbourne, Stone.

• Referee: P McVey, Peterborough.

• Att: 384