King's Lynn Town 1 Stamford 0

Striker Gregg Smith returned to haunt his former club with the only goal of the game as the Linnets claimed the New Year's Day derby spoils at The Walks.

Smith climbed off the bench to score with almost his first touch as Gary Setchell's side kept their first clean sheet for more than two months.

The three points saw Lynn end a run of back-to-back EvoStik League defeats over the festive period and afterwards manager Setchell said: 'I thought we played some good stuff at times and we've missed some good chances. We played like a team who were a little bit nervous and desperate for a win. We were a little bit anxious and perhaps tried a little bit too hard at times.

'It's a massive three points and a much-needed win, just for our own confidence. Hopefully we can take that into the weekend game against Halesowen.'

Lynn's starting line-up showed five changes from the one which tasted defeat at the hands of FC United of Manchester on Sunday.

Steve Spriggs was recalled in place of hamstring victim Jake Jones, while Shaun Stocker, Henry Eze, Michael Frew and Sam Mulready also got the nod to start against the Daniels. Lynn's handful of changes saw Smith, Jackson Ramm and David Bridges all relegated to the bench, while absent defender Ross Watson joined Jones on the sidelines.

The Linnets were the dominant force in the first period, but were unable to find a way past a strong Stamford rearguard.

Striker Michael Frew wasted Lynn's best two opportunities of a lacklustre first-half.

In the sixth minute, Spriggs fed the frontman on the edge of the box, but he fired his effort narrowly wide of the target.

Ten minutes later, Spriggs' pace saw him cut inside the fullback before testing the reflexes of Andy Stevens at point-blank range.

The loose ball eventually found its way to Frew, who somehow dragged his effort wide when it would have been easier to score.

At the other end, a mix-up between Eze and Jordan Yong almost presented Navil Shariff with an opening for the visitors but he skied his effort over Alex Street and his woodwork.

A minute after the restart, George Thomson saw his shot deflected out for a corner as Lynn looked to turn up the heat on the Lincolnshire outfit.

Stamford's Shariff crossed for former Linnet Jordan Smith to fire over the woodwork while Josh Moreman blasted wide following a goalmouth scramble in the home box as the visitors rallied.

Lynn made a double-change just before the hour-mark and it had an immediate effect on the proceedings.

Thomson delivered a pinpoint ball from the left and, just seconds after coming on, Smith, glanced his header past a helpless Stevens.

The game became more open as Lynn nervously looked to close the game out and Stamford went in search of an equaliser.

Moreman and Daniel Lawlor came within a whisker of levelling matters, while David Bell missed a glorious late chance to double Lynn's advantage after a well-worked move involving both Smith and Thomson.

King's Lynn Town (4-3-2-1): Street, Stocker, Yong, Eze, Fryatt, Spriggs (Ramm 74), Bell, Quigley, Frew (Smith 58), Thomson, Mulready (Bridges 58).