Mark Hearle Peterborough Northern Star 0, King's Lynn Town 2:A goal in either half from skipper Jack Defty was enough to send King's Lynn Town to the top of the United Counties League on Saturday with this hard fought victory over Peterborough Northern Star at Chestnut Avenue.

Mark Hearle

Peterborough Northern Star 0, King's Lynn Town 2

A goal in either half from skipper Jack Defty was enough to send King's Lynn Town to the top of the United Counties League on Saturday with this hard fought victory over Peterborough Northern Star at Chestnut Avenue.

The real match winner though for the Linnets was goalkeeper Alex Street who produced a string of top drawer saves to preserve his teams advantage throughout the afternoon.

“Alex today has been absolutely outstanding for us,” said joint boss Kevin Boon afterwards. “He has produced at least three magnificent saves out there and he has turned in an all round solid display. Many people forget that Alex is only 19 years old but that performance was that of a man, not a young lad. Alex was extremely unlucky not to get a full time professional contract in the summer but that is certainly our gain because King's Lynn Town are extremely lucky to have a great young keeper who has a very bright future in the game.

“That was a real scrap out there today but we have rolled our sleeves up and came through it and in doing so have gained another three very important points. I thought that we just about had the better of the first half and deserved to be ahead at the break. We were under a lot of pressure at the start of the second spell but we made some tactical changes which stiffened up the midfield, Jack has then popped up with a goal which was set up by another substitute in Stephen Spriggs and we have seen the game out. That second goal settled us down but people must remember that we are still learning with a very young side. You have got to give huge credit to PNS who have given us another tough game today. They are an ambitious side with a good set up and will cause lots of problems to many sides this season.”

Boon and Gary Setchell made just the one expected change to the starting line up as Martin McNeil returned at centre half to replace the unavailable Kyle Plumb. Spriggs returned to the first team squad since pre season and Dan Buhleman also took his place on the bench following his unavailability seven days earlier.

Brady Stone headed over Nick Conroy's bar in the games first chance as a strong crosswind blew across an excellent playing surface. The Linnets were then given the chance for an early lead as Danny White's goal bound shot was blocked by an advancing defender's arm and referee Peter King, after a slight hesitation pointed to the spot. Despite missing from the spot at Desborough a week earlier Defty took the responsibility and smashed the ball past Conroy despite slipping as he struck the ball. Jon Stead forced Street into a fine save following a Mark Jones centre but Lynn responded well with a long range Pat Bexfield effort and Scott Cubberley making Conroy work. Cubberley then got the ball past Conroy but centre back Richard Jones was on hand to punt the ball to safety. Street again denied Stead on the stroke of half time to maintain his side's slender advantage.

PNS should have begun the second spell with an equaliser but somehow the linnets kept the hosts at bay despite Stead, Mark Baines and Mark Jones all having great opportunities inches from the goal line. Stead then hit the bar as Street was for once beaten and Mark Jones glanced wide as Lynn's goal led a charmed life. Defty was inches away from connecting with Cubberley's low cross but PNS responded again with the impressive Stead forcing Street into another fantastic diving save. Luke Thurlbourne delayed too long in getting his shot off in a rare linnets attack but moments later Defty calmed the nerves of the 200 plus Lynn travelling army of supporters (who had smashed the attendance record at Chestnut Avenue by over 150( with a brave finish following a Spriggs run and centre. Fittingly it was Street who was involved in the match's last action when denying Mark Jones in a one on one situation to cap an outstanding display of goal keeping.

Peterborough Northern Star: Conroy, Bird (Fortune), Horne, Blewett, Richard Jones, Plummer, Dean (Nyang), Baines, Mark Jones, Stead, Moreman (Vierra). Unused sub: Garwell.

Bookings: Blewett, Mark Jones.

King's Lynn Town: Street, Bexfield, Alsop, Luke Thurlbourne (Buhlemann), McNeil, Stone, White, Kelly (Spriggs), Defty, Cubberley, Jamie Thurlbourne (Doherty) Unused subs: Smith, Harris.

Referee: Peter King (Spalding)

Attendance: 364 (New ground record)

Former Linnets' full back Phillip Newton has left the club and joined fellow UCL side Holbeach United. He was due to make his debut in the Tigers 3-0 home defeat to Raunds at the weekend.