King's Lynn 5, Yate 0

Paddy Davitt

King's Lynn 5, Yate 0

Lynn fired a first half salvo to bury Yate today at The Walks to stay top of the Southern League, Premier Division.

Jack Defty, Joe Francis and the recalled Matt Nolan sliced through the outclassed visitors inside the opening 30 minutes of a one sided encounter.

Skipper Greg Crane smacked a deflected fourth straight after the restart before spot kick specialist Francis notched his second on 73 minutes to complete the rout.

Linnets' boss Keith Webb sprung a minor surprise with Nolan preferred to top scorer Danny Bloomfield. Webb publicly criticised the big striker for his below par display during the club's abject midweek errea League Cup semi final defeat to minnows Hillingdon Borough.

Aaron Blakemore hooked a close ranger sighter past Scott Howie's left hand upright in the early sparring.

DEFTY crashed an unstoppable header past Tony Court from 10 yards on seven minutes after Yate failed to deal with Francis' opening inswinging corner.

Court raced out from the restart to halt Defty again as Lynn grew in confidence. Crane's ambitious long range free kick sailed into the Tennyson Road end.

Nolan marked his return with a caution for failing to retreat 10 yards at a Town free kick.

Yate skipper Lee Jefferies crowded out Nolan from Rikki Bains' cut back.

FRANCIS doubled Lynn's lead on 15 minutes with a sublime 25-yard curled free kick - Yate stopper Court motionless as the ball rifled into the back of his net.

Crane flicked a back post header wide under pressure from Edd Vahid.

NOLAN completed his rehabilitation on 23 minutes with a calm slot around Court into the empty net from eight yards after latching on to Gavin Hoyte's huge punt.

Court's point blank reaction stop denied Nolan again after Francis' free kick had caused havoc inside the Town penalty box.

John Turner fended off Vahid but Ashley Williams hacked his cross shot away with Nolan lurking.

Ben Sedgemore side-footed wide from inside the six-yard box on 35 minutes after Defty and Francis combined to superb effect.

Howie outwitted Blakemore on the edge of his area when the Yate front man raced through with Lynn appealing for an offside flag.

Turner's inviting cross flashed across the box after intelligent link up with Nolan in the final act of the half.

Half-time: King's Lynn 3, Yate 0.

CRANE scuffed home a fourth on 47 minutes from the edge of the area after his mis-hit shot brushed Jefferies before bobbling through a ruck of Yate players.

Turner's lob clipped Court's crossbar seconds later with the bedraggled visitors now in total disarray.

Hoyte punted clear after Howie and Blakemore collided in a mid air duel. Francis' skimming strike flew a yard wide on 59 minutes with Court again beaten. Blakemore's whipped free kick sailed over Howie's bar in a rare Yate attacking foray.

Michael Frew marked his second half arrival with a cute reverse ball to free the overlapping Nolan whose cut back clearly smacked Adam Syms' outstretched arm inside the Yate penalty box.

Francis stepped up to rifle the spot kick low into Court's bottom left hand corner.

Danny Bloomfield's driven cross teed up Francis for the hat trick chance on 83 minutes but the young flyer shinned wide from six yards out.

Syms blazed over from point blank range on 87 minutes with Yate pushing for a late consolation.

Frew's fizzing effort on the run grazed the outside of Court's left hand post.

t King's Lynn: Howie, Bains, Chapman, Hoyte, Crane, Camm, Turner (Frew 71), Sedgemore (Fisk 78), Defty (Bloomfield 76), Nolan, Francis. Subs (not used): Murray, West.

t Booking: Nolan

t Goals: Defty (7), Francis (15, 73), Nolan (23), Crane (47)

t Yate: Court, Williams, Vahid, Taylor, Jefferies (Brice 50), Syms, Blakemore, Chenoweth (Davidge 66), O'Sullivan, Anyinsah (Waters 45), Whittington. Subs (not used): Thompson, Smyth.

t Booking: Whittington

t Referee: N Field (Northants)

t Attendance: 977