Grantham 0, King's Lynn 2: Lynn boss Keith Webb insists the Southern League, Premier Division title favourites are ready for the big kick off after a comfortable pre-season finale at Grantham.

Grantham 0, King's Lynn 2

Lynn boss Keith Webb insists the Southern League, Premier Division title favourites are ready for the big kick off after a comfortable pre-season finale at Grantham.

Dean West's deflected strike broke the deadlock inside the first five minutes. Michael Frew's cute sidefoot finish added a second just past the half hour mark against the outclassed Unibond First Division South hosts.

Webb's starting line up offered plenty of clues ahead of Saturday's league opener at Bashley.

The Linnets' chief again ran the rule over trialist keepers Lee Crockett and Rob Murray with first choice Scott Howie on holiday, but Lynn's outfield unit had a familiar look.

Ben Chapman and Joe Francis were in tandem down the left with Frew preferred to Matt O'Halloran ahead of Dean West on the opposite flank.

Mark Camm and Steve Melton appear to have nailed down starting spots in Webb's engine room with Matt Nolan playing off John Turner in the hotly contested battle for front places.

“We've got Scott to come back in, but that wasn't too far off,” confirmed Webb. “There's one or two still to sort out. It was a scrappy game to be honest. Neither keeper really had a save to make for us. We had chances galore in the second half when we opened them up a lot. It should have been five or six but we've won without too many problems.

“Overall, I'm happy with how the build up has gone. I told people performances and results didn't bother me in pre-season, because they will come, but we've scored plenty of goals and kept another clean sheet in this match.”

Webb aims to complete his squad make over during the next few days. Top of his list is securing a versatile Conference target.

“If it happens then everything else falls into place,” he said. “We'd like to get everything sorted early so we have a full week to prepare. The lad can play in midfield and central defence so that gives us a nice option if we get a positive answer. If not, then we have another iron in the fire. We haven't heard anything as yet. We're hopeful but we know how these situations work - I expect his agent to be on to other clubs trying to get him a better deal.”

Webb is still mulling over his back up keeper options and whether to recruit Stockport defensive trialist Greg Lake.

“I'll speak to both the young keepers and weigh everything up before making an offer to one of them,” he said. “Greg is going back to Stockport this week so until he gets himself sorted one way or the other we won't look to do anything. I'm not saying he is ready for Southern League football yet. There's still one or two things he has to put right in his game, but he has all the attributes.”

Chapman hobbled away with heavy strapping on his right calf as Lynn finished the game with ten men, but Webb is confident of having a fully fit squad available.

“He'll be okay - it was just a niggle,” said Webb. “Greg Crane had to get some ice on his ankle and Mark Warren had a slight problem with his hip so we decided to rest them as a precaution. I took people off with a view to the Bashley game because I didn't want to take any risks.”

t Grantham: (starting XI) Ziccardi, Wilkin, Moon, Reddington, Dixon, Mynott, Hawley, Malarkey, Cann, Atkinson, Wilkinson.

t King's Lynn: Crockett (Murray 65), West, Chapman, Warren (Lake 54), Crane (Fisk 59), Camm, Frew (O'Halloran 65), Melton (Ridgway 59), Turner (Bloomfield 65), Nolan (Defty 65), Francis (Carey 71). Subs (all used).

t Goals: West (5), Frew (35)

t Referee: S Bedder

t Attendance: 128.