King's Lynn 3-0 Weymouth: Terras well beaten in Norfolk

Linton 25 pen, Clunan 70, Barrett 75

WEYMOUTH 0

WEYMOUTH turned in a bitterly disappointing display as relegation rivals King’s Lynn Town claimed a 3-0 victory at The Walks in the Vanarama National League.

Malachi Linton buried a first-half penalty for Lynn before Michael Clunan and Josh Barrett added two goals in the space of six second-half minutes.

King’s Lynn hit the woodwork twice but the closest Weymouth came all game was a shot on target for Sean Shields, while Tyler Cordner fired wide from a free-kick.

The manner of this display will be hugely concerning for boss David Oldfield, who opted for just one change to the starting XI that began the 1-1 draw at rivals Yeovil in midweek.

READ MORE: King's Lynn Town 3-0 Weymouth - how it happened

Omar Mussa missed out through suspension after his red card and was replaced in midfield by Tom Solanke.

There was also a 100th Weymouth appearance for club skipper Josh McQuoid.

Weymouth named an unchanged bench with Ben Morgan, Brandon Goodship, Tom Blair, Ahkeem Rose and Jordan Greenidge being Oldfield’s options.

The Linnets, meanwhile, made a triple signing before kick-off with Josh Coulson coming in from Southend to bolster the Norfolk side's defence.

Their other two new faces were Cameron Hargreaves, son of Torquay legend Chris Hargreaves, and Jak Hickman, the latter two named on the bench.

Weymouth were looking to end a run of 11 winless league games but made a lacklustre start to the half which endured throughout the opening 45 minutes.

Cam Murray was perhaps unfortunate to earn a booking after Barrett stooped for a low header, Murray accidentally catching his head and going into the book.

After the bloodied Barrett was treated, King’s Lynn threatened almost immediately as Oliver Scott smashed Harry Phipps’ cross against Ross Fitzsimons’ woodwork in the fifth minute.

Weymouth responded when Mannie Mampala broke upfield only for his cross to go astray.

McQuoid then surged into space on the right and found Shields, who could only warm the gloves of Lynn keeper Paul Jones.

Weymouth captain Josh McQuoid made his 100th appearance for the club Picture: MARK PROBIN

Lynn carried the greater energy in the first half as Haji Mnoga was forced to head a Clunan cross behind for a corner, Fitzsimons able to claim with ease.

But the Linnets grabbed the goal their efforts perhaps deserved when Linton, who stayed upright amid two nips at his heels, finally went down in the box for a penalty.

He duly stepped up to give King’s Lynn the lead in the 25th minute, sending Fitzsimons the wrong way.

Mampala had a chance to equalise soon after but he screwed his shot wide after a mistake from Phipps, and Mnoga was later penalised for a foul in the box after Weymouth won a free-kick in a dangerous area.

King’s Lynn remained menacing as Widdrington’s cross nearly floated into the far corner and Clunan fired just wide seconds before the break.

The lively Mnoga then won a free-kick in stoppage-time only for Cordner to clip his effort inches wide from 20 yards.

Tyler Cordner, left, fired a free-kick just wide from 20 yards Picture: MARK PROBIN

Weymouth needed to improve in the second half and did initially – even though Barrett hit the post out of nothing with a snapshot.

Solanke cleared the rebound and Shields on the break saw his cross headed at Jones by a home defender, the keeper forced into tipping over for a corner which was dumped by Shields into the side netting.

Rose came on for Murray and was instantly involved, driving into the box and winning a corner after a double deflection, only for Shields’ delivery to be headed away.

Widdrington shot wide from distance again before Blair came on for Solanke, the new man booked two minutes later for a foul.

Weymouth’s crossing lacked quality all afternoon and Shields saw another delivery cleared before Ollie Harfield’s cross was caught by Jones.

It preceded Lynn’s second as Clunan was given the time to steal half a yard and bury a good finish beyond Fitzsimons.

Oldfield reacted by replacing Mampala for Goodship but Lynn were 3-0 up 15 minutes from time as Barrett fired home a deflected goal – despite Weymouth calls for a foul on McQuoid in the build-up.

Shields fired at Jones seconds after the restart but the damage had long been done.

Linton and sub Manashe Sundire headed wide good chances for a fourth either side of Tom Bearwish blasting wide for Weymouth after Jones’ spill.

Tom Bearwish, left, missed a good chance late on Picture: MARK PROBIN

Overall this was a Weymouth performance that came up well short of the quality needed in a game of this magnitude and leaves the Terras with a mountain to scale in order to achieve safety.

Weymouth still remain eight points off safety with 18 games to play.

King's Lynn: P Jones, Barrows, A Jones, Phipps, Coulson, Scott, McGavin, Widdrington (Hargreaves 76), Clunan (Sundire 81), Linton (Walker 84), Barrett. Subs not used: Hickman, Denton.

Terras: Fitzsimons, Cordner, McQuoid, Mnoga, Bearwish, Drewe, Mampala (Goodship 71), Murray (Rose 51), Solanke (Blair 61), Harfield, Shields. Subs not used: Morgan, Greenidge.

Referee: Ryan Atkin

Attendance: 857