Manager Carl Heggs saved him and his team the long midweek trip to Manchester as he came from the bench to score the games only goal with six minutes remaining at the Walks on Saturday.

King's Lynn 1, Salford City 0

Manager Carl Heggs saved himself and his team the long midweek trip to Manchester in the FA Trophy as he came off the bench to score the game's only goal with six minutes remaining at The Walks on Saturday.

For a long time it looked as if a replay would be required between the two sides as Lynn's potent goal machine stuttered slightly in the face of true northern grit shown by a Salford side who ply their trade a level below the Linnets.

Heggs slotted home from close range after he exchanged passes with Ben Muirhead which sparked scenes of celebration amongst Lynn players and supporters.

When asked afterwards on his preferences for his side in today's first round draw, a beaming Heggs had no doubts as to who he would like his charges to face.

“I would love Luton Town here. If we were to draw them it would give us the chance to see where we are and how far we have come since my arrival here. It would be a great game for the players and for the supporters. Imagine 3000 supporters in here - the place would be rocking and the town buzzing.”

Heggs also revealed he gave his side a dressing down on their attitude towards the game, saying: “I think that today we have been guilty of thinking that it was all going to be a little bit easy after all of the goals recently and I knew that it was never going to be like that.

“They have beaten some good sides from higher leagues than ours this season in cup competition and I would go as far as saying they were the best team we have played here this season to date.

“We are now through to the first round and we really fancy our chances of going further.

“This is a competition that we can win. The FA Cup we never will win but this is a cup which can be won by a club like ours from our level. It has been done before.”

Heggs also reaffirmed his desire to stay at The Walks despite Sunday newspaper speculation linking him with the manager's position at Grimsby Town. “I am enjoying it here at King's Lynn and I have a great rapport with the players and supporters. I have been linked with other jobs but I'm going nowhere because I love my job and I'm enjoying my time here as well.”

The Linnets fielded an unchanged line-up from the one that had demolished Ossett Town the previous weekend and were quickly on the front foot with Kwesi Appiah's spectacular bicycle-kick narrowly clearing Andrew Robertson's bar.

Mike Flynn's half-volley had Danny Gay scampering and the home stopper was pleased to see alert

full-back Lewis Webb clear the ball from his goal line. Appiah had two further half-chances to break the deadlock but failed to test Robertson on either occasion and Salford's Neil Chappell saw a header drop inches wide of Gay's back stick.

The visitors enjoyed the best of the chances at the beginning of the second spell with Craig Mahon's close-range effort deflected behind.

Lataniel Rowe-Turner, who extended his stay at the Walks in the week by another month, was grateful to Gay who came quickly from his line to smother at the feet of Astley Mulholland after the Leicester man had badly miscued his attempted clearance.

Chappell then hooked wide from ten yards, with the home defence appealing for an offside flag that never arrived. The Linnets then discovered some momentum which saw Danny Spencer head over following a corner with Robertson denying Ben Muirhead from similar range moments later.

Heggs introduced himself in place of Spencer and immediately announced himself to the visitors

by crossing the ball to Carl Palmer whose header was gathered by Robertson.

Owen Story forced Robertson into action again shortly afterwards with the keeper making another decent save. However, he was powerless on 84 minutes when Heggs finished from the tightest of angles at the second attempt after he had swapped passes with Muirhead. The latter then curled wide from 14 yards.

The Linnets though were thankful to Gay who produced two outstanding block saves from Haydn Eames and Ashley Kelly when it looked easier to score on both occasions with time running out.

Deep into stoppage time Robertson produced another outstanding save to thwart Heggs' point-blank header.

The Linnets' next fixture is tomorrow at the Walks against Retford in the Unibond League Cup, with a 7.45pm kick-off.

Lynn: Gay, Webb, Rowe-Turner, Palmer (Smith 90), Boyce, Aisien, Story, Magunda, Appiah, Spencer, Muirhead. Unused subs: Rose, Murray, McAnally. Bookings: Rowe-Turner, Story.

Salford City: Robertson, Hockenhall, Mortimer, Ayres, Flynn, Kelly, Chappell, Andrews, Mahon, Mulholland, Eames. Unused subs: Foster, Maloney, Murphy.

Attendance: 889.