Harrogate 4, King's Lynn 0: Linnets' chief Keith Webb labelled his side's Harrogate surrender as 'unacceptable'. Second-placed Town wrecked Lynn's unbeaten Blue Square North run to inflict the visitors' first league defeat since January 5.

Harrogate 4, King's Lynn 0

Linnets' chief Keith Webb labelled his side's Harrogate surrender as 'unacceptable'.

Second-placed Town wrecked Lynn's unbeaten Blue Square North run to inflict the visitors' first league defeat since January 5.

The all-action James Dean on his home debut and Darren Dunning's piledriver put Lynn firmly on the back foot inside the opening quarter, before Matty Young's second-half brace completed the rout.

Stand-in skipper Mark Camm's hamstring injury capped a miserable afternoon after top scorer Jack Defty had been ruled out pre-match with a jarred knee.

“The players should be under no illusions - this will be a tough week now,” said Webb, pictured. “I don't mind losing if we've faced a better team and had a real go but I won't accept that.

“You are going to lose games of football but it's how you react. I expect to see one in training and the cup tie against Worksop.

“We started reasonably for the first 15 minutes. Then they scored and we fell away. Too many had an off day. If it wasn't for Scott Howie it would've been a lot more.

“We needed seven or eight giving me seven or above (out of ten). We had seven or eight at six and below.

“But there'll be no panic. When you start doing that the wheels come off and you make mistakes. We've more than held our own against most teams in this league so far.”

Webb admitted the highly-fancied Hornets looked every inch genuine promotion contenders after Saturday's victory.

“They were the best we've faced,” said Webb. “But they didn't do anything spectacular. They were well organised, disciplined and got in our faces.

“They did what every other side apart from Droylsden has tried this season - only that little bit better. I didn't think there was anything fancy about them. It was balls over the top getting us turned.

“We have to learn how to adapt our game to cope with the ugly side. All these teams are prepared to do the hard yards. Making tackles, putting your foot in. They bullied us all over the park. We've got lads who look good on the ball but we need more in this league.”

Webb refused to hide behind Lynn's growing injury list with Camm suffering a suspected hamstring tear.

“I don't think we'll see him for a fortnight at least - put it that way,” said Webb. “Maybe more because those type of niggly injuries can be a nightmare.

“I wasn't too happy how it happened either. He was on the stretch and the guy has blatantly pushed him so he has over extended the leg. It wasn't even given as a foul.

“Jack was close but we felt he couldn't give it 100pc and there was no point taking a risk and losing him for longer. That would've been like shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Town boss Neil Aspin pinpointed his side's opening surge as the key to a fifth straight home league win.

“We started the game well, put them under pressure, we were very positive,” he said.

“I felt that at half-time we should have been more than the two goals up.

“In the second half we got another two goals to reflect the game. It was a really good day for us. The players deserve the credit because it was warm out there, and they've all worked really hard to get a result.

“They're a good bunch of lads to work with. I'm very pleased with the way they've all settled in, because basically there are only four players from last season.

“We've got a lot of new faces but they all get on well and long may it continue.

“James Dean's overall performance was tremendous. He led the line well. He's big and strong. Just what you'd expect from a target man.”

The barnstorming Dean fended off Simon Weaver to race clear and fire past Howie on 13 minutes.

Dunning rifled home from the edge of the area after a flowing four-man move had sliced through the visitors.

Young sealed the win with a solo effort just past the hour mark - bursting from the middle of the park to outwit Mark Peters and poke past the advancing Howie.

Dean headed narrowly over in the closing stages before former Huddersfield Town midfielder Young volleyed a sublime fourth in stoppage time.

t Harrogate: Provett, Toulson, Smith (Reay 86), Ingram, Killock, Peat, Young, Dunning, Dean, Holland (Marshall 73), Roddy. Subs (not used): Lowe, Gray, Hedge. Goals: Dean (13), Dunning (22), Young (61, 90).

t King's Lynn: Howie, C Defty (Crane 45), Smith, Peters, Weaver, Camm (Turner 57), Joachim (Bloomfield 65), Fisk, Frew, Mitchell, Francis. Subs (not used): Kelly, Murray. Booking: Fisk.

t Referee: R Clark (Morpeth)

t Attendance: 548