Paddy Davitt Lynn endured fresh Blue Square North misery at table toppers Tamworth.Gareth Sheldon's sublime first half free kick and Lambs' debutant Stuart Nicholson's stoppage time strike stretched Lynn's winless league run to 11 matches.

Paddy Davitt

Lynn endured fresh Blue Square North misery at table toppers Tamworth.

Gareth Sheldon's sublime first half free kick and Lambs' debutant Stuart Nicholson's stoppage time strike stretched Lynn's winless league run to 11 matches.

Title-chasing Tamworth flattered to deceive for large spells with both keepers largely redundant. Home stopper Danny Alcock foiled Bradley Thomas with a smart close range save just past the hour mark but Lynn's hunt for a maiden 2009 league win continues.Webb performed major midield surgery after Saturday's Blyth home defeat with new high profile recruit Andy Jonhson leading out the side in his second start. Former stand-in skipper Adam Smith was omitted along with Gavin Hurren as the combative Mark Camm and the energetic Scott Mitchell were drafted in alongside ex-Norwich midfielder Johnson.

Jack Defty replaced Andrew Fisk at the head of an adventurous three-pronged attack with Julian Joachim and Michael Frew wide support acts. Greg Crane retained his place in an unchanged backline following a rash stoppage time sending off against Blyth Spartans at the weekend. Mark Peters made a welcome return among the substitutes after a lengthy absence with leg and ankle injuries - Webb handing the experienced defender a late cameo in his first outing since mid-October.

Rob Murray again deputised for keeper Scott Howie with Lynn's number one named on the bench for the second consecutive outing since picking up a niggling groin problem.

Former Notts Forest right back Des Lyttle eased Frew off the ball inside the opening minute with the Linnet poised to test Alcock. Sheldon's superb free kick arrowed into Murray's top corner from 20 yards after Ben Chapman was penalised for a heavy tackle on Rodman.

Lyttle used all his experience again on 27 minutes to foil Frew after Defty freed the overlapping Mitchell in Lynn's most incisive early move of the contest.

t Half-time: Tamworth 1, King's Lynn 0

Lambs' skipper Martin Foster hacked Frew's vicious inswinging free kick away on the restart before Luke Graham's follow up sailed over. Alcock's sharp one-handed reaction stop clawed away Thomas' goalbound close range header just shy of the hour mark with Frew's set piece sorcery again Lynn's most likely supply line.

Matt Birley slalomed past Chapman but skied his cross into the home terraces. Webb introduced Joe Francis for the final quarter. Lynn's player-of-the-year announced his arrival with a trademark surge into enemy territory before slipping in Camm who drilled at Tamworth man mountain Craig McAughtrie.

Murray parried Jake Sheridan's powerful strike on 72 minutes with Lynn struggling to contain a swift home counter. Shaw's speculative long range shot rolled wide with the leaders probing for a decisive second.

Birley blazed wide six yards out on 77 minutes with only Murray to beat after Crane failed to clear under pressure from Sheldon. McAughrie bravely blocked Joachim's smack after Alcock spilled Chapman's hanging cross. Webb introduced his heavy artillery for the final minutes with Peters unleashed as an auxiliary striker.

Tamworth supersub Nicholson rolled home into an empty net deep into stoppage time after Sheridan's howitzer cannoned back off Murray's bar.

t Result: Tamworth 2, King's Lynn 0

t Tamworth: Alcock, Lyttle, Langdon, Smith, McAughtrie, Foster, Birley (Nicholson 89), Shaw, Sheldon, Rodman (Sheridan 45), Pritchard. Subs (not used): Reid, Burgess, Law.

Goals: Sheldon (9), Nicholson (90)

t King's Lynn: Murray, Graham, Chapman (Peters 87), Thomas, Crane, Camm, Mitchell (Francis 67), Johnson, Defty (Hurren 80), Joachim, Frew. Subs (not used): Smith, Howie.

t Referee: M Amphett (Kidderminster)

t Attendance: 617