Paddy Davitt King's Lynn 0, Nantwich 3: Two steps forward, one back as Lynn's Unibond Premier Division rollercoaster campaign took a fresh dip. Carl Heggs' men had second spot in their sights following back-to-back home wins but calamitous defending gifted new leaders Nantwich the points.

Paddy Davitt

King's Lynn 0, Nantwich 3

Two steps forward, one back as Lynn's Unibond Premier Division rollercoaster campaign took a fresh dip.

Carl Heggs' men had second spot in their sights following back-to-back home wins but calamitous defending gifted new leaders Nantwich the points.

Indecision proved fatal for home keeper Danny Gay and Leicester loanee Lathanial Rowe-Turner who dallied long enough for Ashley Carter to nudge the visitors ahead before the break.

Then Town's towering frontman Matt Rhead notched twice inside three second half minutes around the hour mark. No excuses. No hiding behind Lynn's lengthening long term injury list. Heggs admitted it was simply not good enough.

“They beat us at a canter and we ran out of ideas,” he said. “We have young lads learning the game but unfortunately they are making mistakes at our club. I can't go into the changing room and hammer them because they're boys but I've let them know. It's unacceptable.

“After everything thrown at us recently it would have been wonderful to go second. These players never moan, they come here with smiles on their faces and they want to play for King's Lynn but we've missed that opportunity. We have to work extremely hard again and sooner or later we'll get another one. It's important we keep believing and stop making silly, individual mistakes.”

Training this week at the club's state-of-the-art Leicester complex is set to be anything but fun. Heggs had already started his post-mortem within minutes of the final whistle. Goal number one.

“We gave them probably the worst goal I've ever been involved in - certainly at this club,” he said. “The ball bounces in the six yard box. My keeper shouts for it, my young centre half Lathanial waits for the goalkeeper to come. The goalkeeper decides he doesn't want it, Lathanial decides he doesn't want to clear it and their lad nips in and scores.

“You can be the best manager in the world, have all your qualifications and work until 1am every night on the training field but you can't coach that. I want my keeper, if he shouts for it, to come and claim it. I want my defender, if he isn't sure, to knock it out of play and we'll have an inquest at half time. It's a gift. Bad play, terrible play. If you did that on a Sunday morning you'd be slaughtered.”

Goals two and three courtesy of the strapping Rhead and more home charity.

“Don't get me wrong, the number nine did a great job for them,” said Heggs. “He was very one paced, cumbersome and had no movement but everything that hit him stuck and he bullied us. I've told both my centre halves that as well. He was two stone overweight and shouldn't have got anywhere near my defenders for pace and movement but he was absolutely too much for us.

“I've seen milk turn quicker for the second goal but he got in front of my centre half and for the third he has just lumbered to the back stick for a free header. If he has spun in and out again like a Shearer or Ferguson in their prime then sometimes you put your hand up.”

Lynn's own number nine Kwesi Appiah had early chances to open his goal account following a temporary Peterborough loan switch before making way for Heggs after the break.

“We tried to play balls into feet and he couldn't really get into the game,” said Heggs. “There were a few early opportunities for him but perhaps I should have started myself. He's been in and out at Peterborough and I expected slightly a bit more.

“They had a big centre half who directed everything. If I'd been on I could have got us organised, won a few headers and given us an aerial threat. That was what we missed. The two lads I'd brought in to do that job are both out injured now.

“The more I see this league the more I believe it's who scores first in games. Bradford battered us the previous week and when we scored it was a different game. The opposite happened here. We gave them a one goal start then huffed and puffed, but the better side won. They ground us down and where too much for us on the day.”

King's Lynn: Gay, Aisien (Smith 81), Spencer, Palmer, Rowe-Turner, Boyce, Story, Magunda, Appiah (Heggs 53), Robinson, Beswick. Subs (not used): Smedley, Webb, McAnally.

Bookings: Story, Spencer

Nantwich: Jones, Reeves (Aaron Carter 61), Flynn (Whittaker 45), Sutton, Tinson, Sedgemore, Mahmood, Blackhurst, Rhead (Jack 67), Lennon, Ashley Carter. Sub (not used): Chapman.

Bookings: Segdemore, Jack

Goals: Ashley Carter (35), Rhead (58, 61)

Stoppage time: 1 min / 3 mins

Referee: S Hutchinson (Notts)

Attendance: 825