KING'S LYNN TOWN 3

Clunan 28, Mettam 34, 43 pen

DORCHESTER TOWN 0

DORCHESTER’S miserable away form continued as they were outclassed by new Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division leaders King’s Lynn Town in a 3-0 defeat at the Walks Stadium.

After a promising start that saw Ed Bastick head wide from a superb Kyle Egan cross, Dorchester were overrun by the Linnets.

Following a succession of chances, captain Michael Clunan broke the deadlock on 28 minutes, firing home from 20 yards.

Leon Mettam then capitalised on a ricochet to make it 2-0 before stepping up to convincingly score from the spot before half-time after Neil Martin had brought the striker down inside the area.

Dorchester did improve in the second-half but could not beat Alex Street in the hosts’ goal.

Magpies’ boss Steve Thompson made just one change to the starting line-up that began the 3-0 win over Tiverton Town, with Tom Blair, fresh from a second-half brace in that fixture, replacing the injured Phil Ormrod.

Left-back Martin also reached a significant landmark in his Magpies career, striding out to make his 300th appearance for the club.

And there was a welcome return to the matchday squad for young midfielder Ollie Griggs, having finally returned to fitness following a pubis bone problem.

However, Archie Collins and David Jerrard missed out through illness and injury respectively as Dorchester named only four subs.

Picking up where they left off against Tiverton Town last time out, the right-sided partnership of Egan and Antonio Diaz combined early on in Norfolk, creating the first chance for Bastick, who headed narrowly off-target from Egan’s accurate cross.

From there, King’s Lynn took complete control of the game, the catalyst being Craig Parker’s shot, which was touched behind by goalkeeper Chris Weale for a corner before Ryan Fryatt headed over from a Clunan free-kick.

Parker was soon presented with another chance after Michael Gash’s downward header but the midfielder lashed his effort over, failing to test Weale.

However, Weale was quickly called into action for the Magpies as a scything ball from Parker set right-back Cameron Norman clean through, only to see his effort denied by the outstretched leg of the Magpies’ stopper.

Norman again found himself at the centre of a Lynn attack when his pinpoint delivery was nodded over by Mettam.

Mettam’s miss failed to prove costly for a dominant Linnets side though, as they took the lead through skipper Clunan, who had time to control and tuck home a cool finish past Weale from 20 yards on 28 minutes, recording his second goal against Dorchester this season.

Mettam benefitted from a slice of luck six minutes later when a heavy deflection allowed him to pounce from close range to double King’s Lynn’s advantage.

A tough first-half became even worse for Dorchester as Martin, on his milestone appearance, brought down Mettam for a penalty, which the diminutive striker duly converted in style, lashing home down the middle for a 3-0 half-time lead.

In a bid to stem the tide of goals, Thompson introduced centre-half Ross Carmichael at the expense of winger Ed Bastick during the break, a tactic which seemed to work as the Magpies limited the Linnets to a headed chance in the second-half for Mettam, who directed the ball wide from a Simon Lappin free-kick.

To Dorchester’s credit, they did begin to create chances, with Billy Lowes’ rising drive from 20 yards setting the tempo for an improved second half.

Soon after Jason Brookes’ introduction at the expense of Blair, Martin almost atoned for giving away the penalty but his shot from distance flew over.

Magpies’ midfielder Sam Lanahan had been largely quiet for the visitors, but he then registered a shot at goal, which rose over, having turned the covering King’s Lynn defender in the box.

There was positive news for Dorchester in the form of midfielder Griggs’ return from injury when he replaced Luke Winsper but it was Linnets’ substitute Tom Siddons who next attempted a shot at goal, curling narrowly over from 20 yards.

But thereafter King’s Lynn were never troubled as they easily held on to their clean sheet, keeping Dorchester at bay and extending the Magpies’ dreadful league away record to just one victory in 14 games.

There was late drama at Basingstoke as Kettering conceded a stoppage-time winner to pass up top spot to the Linnets having taken first place with a 1-0 win over their title rivals last time out.

King’s Lynn: Street, Norman, Blake-Tracy, R.Fryatt, Ward, Jarvis, Clunan (L Fryatt 68), Parker, Gash (Siddons 80), Mettam (Hilliard 75), Lappin. Subs not used: Frohawk, Watson

Magpies: Weale, Egan, Martin, Rose, Bowles, Winsper (Griggs 79), Lanahan, Lowes, Blair (Brookes 69), Diaz, Bastick (Carmichael 46). Sub not used: Panesar-Dower

Attendance: 646

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