Scarborough Athletic’s brave comeback in vain as King’s Lynn Town snatch late 3-2 win

Boro never got going in the opening half, as Town were on top throughout, netting after just six minutes, when skipper Michael Clunan laid off to Ben Stephens, who raced forward and struck a shot that went in after hitting post posts.

Boro’s first goal attempt stemmed from a long throw from Ash Jackson, when the ball dropped to Lewis Maloney, who fired wide.

The hosts took control, Bailey Gooda cleared an Adam Crowther shot off the line, Joe Cracknell did well to race out to save when Clunan was one-on-one after being sent clear by Josh Barrett, then Cracknell saved a goal-bound strike from Stephens.

A half-volley from Barrett flashed past the post, but Lynn doubled their lead on 32 minutes when Tyler Denton went down under a challenge from Kieran Weledji in the area, and Gold Omotayo fired home from the spot, then a long- range Tom Hughes shot was gathered by Cracknell shortly before the interval.

Boss Jono Greening made a double substitution at the break, and Boro were far more threatening, with Jake Charles linking up with Coulson up front, and Colville, Glynn, Maloney and Watson taking charge in midfield.

Kieran Burton blocked a Stephens shot in the first minute, before Boro pulled a goal back on 51 minutes when Luca Colville’s corner was headed on by Gooda, and Charles slammed his shot into the roof of the net. Glynn and Colville both displayed their trickery as Boro’s fight back began, and the game really livened up.

Cracknell made another good save from a Stephens free-kick, then a chip into the box from Boro’s Ryan Qualter flashed inches past the post.

On 71 minutes Boro almost drew level, as Charles passed to Ryan Watson, whose low shot was palmed round the post by Sam Blair, and from the corner by Colville, Qualter headed narrowly wide.

Boro again went close, when a cross from Charles deflected off defender Crowther, and wizzed just wide, but they did draw level late on, when Coulson laid off to Luca Colville, who struck a fierce shot that the keeper got a finger to, but couldn’t keep out.

The game was now on a knife-edge, but Town grabbed an 87th-minute winner, when Aaron Cosgrave raced down the left, and passed to Clunan on the edge of the box, who fired into the bottom right corner. In stoppage time an Alex Wiles shot was superbly saved by keeper Blair, as Lynn held on for the win.

KING’S LYNN - Blair, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Crowther, Coulson, Callan-McFadden, Denton, Hughes, Clunan, Barrett (Ponticelli 77), Stephens (Cosgrave 69), Omotayo

BORO - Cracknell, Weledji (Wiles 75), Jackson, Burton (Watson 46), Gooda, Qualter, Coulson, Maloney, Greenfield (Charles 46), Glynn, Colville

REFEREE - Ben Wyatt

GOALS - KINGS LYNN - Ben Stephens 6, Gold Omotayo 32 (pen), Michael Clunan 87. BORO - Jake Charles 51, Luca Colville 85

YELLOW CARDS - KING’S LYNN - Josh Coulson, Tom Hughes

BORO - Kieran Weledji, Lewis Maloney

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Luca Colville

ATTENDANCE - 1,118 (180 away)