Linnets make it 3 in a week

The Linnets recorded their third victory in a week to move within a point of leaders Hereford.

The first chance of the game fell to The Linnets in the fifth minute, Michael Clunan’s corner was headed back by Michael Gash into the path of Ryan Jarvis, but his strike flew over the bar and into Tennyson Road.

Visiting keeper Aaron Bufton was called into action for the first time in the tenth minute, saving a low shot from Craig Parker.

Bufton then pulled off a superb double save a couple of minutes later, saving first at his near post from Toby Hilliard, then spreading himself again to deny Parker with the rebound, forcing the ball behind for a Lynn corner.

From the resulting corner Bufton was beaten, but not before he made another superb save. Clunan’s flag kick fell to Tuesday’s hero Tom Ward. His curling effort was turned on to the bar, but the rebound fell to Hilliard who nodded into the unguarded net to give the Linnets the lead.

Farnborough created their first chance in the 17th minute. Keano Deacon scampered away down the left, firing in a shot that Alex Street saved well at his near post.

The Linnets then hit the woodwork for the second time, Cameron Norman’s cross finding Gash, but his flick at the back post hit the top of the Farnborough bar and bounced out of play.

Farnborough began to press and were almost level in the 25th minute when Andrew Sealey-Harris was unmarked on the edge of the Lynn box and fired a low strike which cannoned off the base of Alex Street’s left hand post.

Parker then missed two good chances for Lynn, failing to connect with a Lappin cross, then firing just over the bar as Clunan played the ball back in from the right.

Farnborough then levelled matters in messy circumstances from a Lynn perspective. The referee denied the Linnets a penalty following a coming together between Gash and a visiting defender. Farnborough broke upfield, and Frazer Blake-Tracy managed to get the ball back to Street under pressure from Michael Fernandes. However the goalkeeper hit his clearance straight at the winger, and he showed good composure to round Street and pass the ball into an empty net.

Bufton pulled off another good save just before the break. Norman’s dangerous cross was almost turned into the net by defender Luke King, but his blushes were saved by his goalkeeper to keep the scores level at half time.

The last action of the first half saw Farnborough’s goalscorer Fernandes booked for a foul on Norman as the Linnets tried to break quickly from a free kick.

The second half started with Lynn dominating proceedings, Hilliard failing to connect with Parker’s threaded pass when well placed. Bufton then made another good save to deny Parker.

Street then saved well from Josh Barton, who was unmarked in the box following a Farnborough corner.

Lynn finally broke through in the 68th minute. Norman’s first cross from the right was blocked by Bufton, but the ball fell back to the full back, his second attempt found Gash unmarked on the penalty spot and he fired into the net despite the best efforts of the defenders on the line.

Farnborough then lost their captain CJ Fearn to injury after he collided with Bufton with around ten minutes left to play. They were still regrouping as Jarvis won a free kick on the left touchline. Clunan’s floated ball found substitute Tom Siddons, who calmly slotted the ball past Bufton to put Lynn 3-1 up.

A minute later Hawkins had a glorious chance to give Lynn a fourth, but Bufton raced off his line to block the ball.

Bufton had the final say on proceedings, turning Gash’s header round the post deep into injury time, after Siddons had broken away down the Lynn left.