Whirlwind start sees King’s Lynn Town breeze through in FA Cup

FA Cup

First Qualifying Round

King’s Lynn Town 4

Coleshill Town 1

Cameron Norman admits being quick out of the blocks has been crucial in King’s Lynn Town’s whirlwind start to the new campaign.

And this was no more evident than in Saturday’s FA Cup success over Coleshill Town as Lynn overcame a potential banana skin at The Walks.

The Linnets mesmerised their Midland League opponents with a four-goal blitz in the opening 24 minutes.

Norman, the scorer of Lynn’s fourth goal during a breathtaking first half display, said: “We started really well and we’ve tried to do that in every game to be honest.

“We didn’t want to change that all because it was the FA Cup, it was important that we started on the front foot.

“We knew that it would be like a cup final for them and that we needed to get an early goal and we did that.

“Our two early goals were the killer but we backed it up with a third and a fourth.

“It was demoralising for them to go into half-time four goals down but to their credit they did well in the second half and we got a little complacent.

“We’ve had some great support and it’s important to use that as much as you can and take it in our stride.

“It’s always good to start fast, put teams on the back foot and get the crowd on our side.”

Early goals were certainly key in the league victories over Gosport Borough and Bishop’s Stortford, but what Lynn produced in the opening quarter of Saturday’s tie was nothing short of astonishing.

A sloppy pass had almost gifted the visitors a shock lead in the third minute, but it was soon forgotten about as the Coleshill defence was ripped apart at will.

Lynn took the lead on seven minutes when Black-Tracy’s simple cross gave Leon Mettam an easy finish after neat work by Craig Parker.

No sooner had the crowd had time to draw breath, Mettam turned provider after playing in Ryan Hawkins to slot past visiting goalkeeper Paul Hathaway.

Tom Siddons then forced Hathaway into a good save, but Coleshill had no answer to Lynn’s slick passing game.

In the 18th minute, Cameron Norman and Parker combined with the latter slipping the ball to Mettam to drill home his second of the afternoon.

On 24 minutes Lynn made it four with Cameron Norman scoring from the tightest of angles, smashing the ball past Hathaway and into the top corner.

Hawkins had a chance to make it five on 37 minutes but he fired over when well placed, while Ryan Fryatt just failed to get his head to Norman’s cross on the stroke of half-time.

Coleshill came more into the game in the second half but the damage had already been done.

The visitors grabbed a deserved consolation with a goal fit enough to grace any cup tie when Daniel Tymon unleashed a 25-yard rocket to beat Alex Street.

Lynn had further chances to restore their four-goal lead, Mettam blasting a free-kick straight at the wall and substitute Toby Hilliard hitting the side netting.

King’s Lynn Town: Street, Norman, Blake-Tracey, Fryatt, Ward, Jarvis, Clunan, Parker (Whayman 78), Siddons (Gash 67), Mettam (Hilliard 80), Hawkins.

Scorers: Mettam 7, 18 Hawkins 9, Norman 24.

Coleshill Town: Hathaway, Moulton, Astley, Tymon, Cole, Edwards, Edmunds, Rathbone (Ford 82), Molesworth (Gardner 62), Leek, Dainty.

Booked: Edwards.

Scorer: Tymon 50.

Attendance: 817.