Paddy Davitt Lynn powered to their biggest post-war league win against Unibond Premier Division relegation certainties Durham today at The Walks. Carl Heggs’ men failed to eclipse the club record 17-0 pre-war demolition of Beccles but Danny Gay and his defenders showed no mercy after the break to pocket a clean sheet.

Paddy Davitt

Lynn powered to their biggest post-war league win against Unibond Premier Division relegation certainties Durham today at The Walks.

Carl Heggs' men failed to eclipse the club record 17-0 pre-war demolition of Beccles but Danny Gay and his defenders showed no mercy after the break to pocket a clean sheet.

Kwesi Appiah and Anthony Robinson both bagged hat tricks, new recruit Justin Rowe smacked a brace with Carl Palmer, Ben Muirhead and Owen Story also joining the turkey shoot.

Heggs named an unchanged starting line up from the Whitby FA Trophy win. Rowe started on the bench with Robinson retaining his place in the line up ahead of his five match FA ban for a third red card of the season at Whitby.

Robinson set the overlapping Story free down the right from the kick off but the flyer's cross sailed behind.

Elliott Cutts sneaked the blindside of Palmer but his slide rule pass rolled out of play for the north east visitors.

Richard O'Brien kicked away Appiah's half volleyed flick from eight yards out after the flat footed Durham backline were caught ball watching.

Muirhead's slaloming run from the corner was eventually halted by Kyle Wren with Lynn already dominating possession.

Story nudged the hosts in front on eight minutes with a guided left footer past O'Brien from ten yards after Gareth Ayers failed to deal with Andy Boyce's deep cross.

Appiah doubled the lead seconds later when he rose highest to guide home Muirhead's teasing free kick from point blank range.

Palmer arrived on cue to power a header past O'Brien from an acute angle after Story had all the time in the world to pick out the midfielder.

Story fired wide of O'Brien's far post with Lynn having already reduced the contest to a training run in the beautiful wintry sunshine bathing The Walks.

Muirhead ran off the back of Gary Shaw to gather Story's ball but dragged at O'Brien. Durham skipper Andrew Stevenson miscued straight into Robinson's path - only for Lynn's top scorer to slam at the City keeper.

Lathaniel Rowe-Turner and Gay almost combined to gift the visitors a consolation when the Leicester loanee's header slithered behind with Gay racing from his line.

Muirhead restored normal order to notch Lynn's fourth on 19 minutes - the former Man United trainee having to fight team mate Appiah to hammer the loose ball past O'Brien.

Robinson joined the party on 23 minutes when he raced onto Appiah's reverse pass before firing past the over worked O'Brien.

Bobby Aisien remained alert to head away Anthony Watson's dipping centre on a rare attacking foray - the underemployed Gay thankful for some catching practice from the corner.

Appiah skied over on the half hour mark to hint Lynn might now be feeling sorry for the visiting cannon fodder.

Lynn's generosity of spirit lasted seconds when Appiah made up for his lapse to poke past the on rushing O'Brien following more lamentable hesitation in the Durham ranks.

Stevenson's long range pot shot then Rufus Ayer's hit at Gay drew sympathetic applause from the home fans.

Appiah scuffed his hat trick chance at O'Brien but Robinson made no mistake after O'Brien slips over to swivel into an empty net.

Appiah hit the crossbar from close range on the restart but Robinson won the race to the matchball on 48 minutes with a cool left footed slot that squeezed through a gap at O'Brien's near post.

Peterborough loanee Appiah rose unmarked to power a close range header past O'Brien less than minute later.

Heggs introduced new signing Rowe for his club debut with Muirhead making way. Hat trick hero Appiah and Story were also withdrawn around the hour mark as Heggs took the rare opportunity to blood his fringe players in a no pressure league game.

Cutts dragged well wide after Boyce mistimed his clearance but Gareth Ayers did force Gay into his first save of the mismatch on 64 minutes with a long range strike.

Rowe opened his Linnets account on 69 minutes for Lynn's tenth with a calm slot from 12 yards after Durham's defence parted yet again to leave O'Brien exposed.

Robinson missed an open goal for his fourth - almost treading on the ball right on the Durham goal line from Danny Spencer's cutback.

Rowe slammed home the pick of the bunch on 76 minutes with a vicious 20 yard half volley that screamed past O'Brien.

Jordan Smith lifted over seconds later after racing clear of the demoralised Durham rearguard. The game Cutts checked back inside Boyce but struck a rising shot into the Tennyson Road End.

Spencer smacked O'Brien's legs from an acute angle before Rowe was crowded out as Lynn coasted to the finish.

O'Brien then denied Spencer in an identical shoot out before Wren hammered away. Gay pouched Shaw's half volley in the closing seconds.

t King's Lynn: Gay, Webb, Rowe-Turner, Palmer, Boyce, Aisien, Story (Smith 56), Magunda, Appiah (Spencer 56), Robinson, Muirhead (Rowe 50). Subs (not used): McAnally, Murray.

t Goals: Story (8), Appiah (10, 31, 49), Palmer (12), Muirhead (19), Robinson (23, 41, 48), Rowe (69, 76)

t Durham: O'Brien, Mounter, Wren, Stevenson, Stoker, Ayers, Watson (Potts 50), Graham, Ayer (James 67), Cutts, Shaw. Subs (not used): Winter.

t Stoppage time: 0 min / 1 min

t Referee: M Chester

t Attendance: 909