I’m not one to say: ‘I told you so’ as Linnets lose derby

I’m not a person with a ‘told you so’ attitude, but I did mention in last week’s musings that the Linnets trip to Peterborough Sports could prove difficult.As it turned out unfortunately my thoughts were proved correct with a 3-1 reverse the final outcome as Sports completed a notable double over a Lynn side who must now be almost sick of the sight of the Turbines.So where did it all go so wrong for Adam Lakeland who is still looking for his first win over his rivals down from the A47 since his arrival at The Walks in 2023?Firstly of course it has to be stated that Lakeland was without his two best strikers, plus defenders Freddie Sass and Kyle McFadden, the latter of which has been superb all season at the heart of defence for the match.In his post-match thoughts, Lakeland was keen to play down the absence of those mentioned.Still, McFadden’s unavailability along with that of Jonny Margetts and Gold Omotayo would affect any team, such is their importance to the squad.Lynn were undone by the hosts’ quick breaks and their two tricky players at the top of the pitch. One up front is the way the game has gone over the past years but I still feel you cannot beat a double threat to keep centre-backs busy for the majority of a game. Peterborough did that very well on the day and gained their rewards by playing to their strengths.One thing I cannot understand is the lack of game-time striker Theo Williams has seen since the injuries picked up by Margetts and Omotoya.Josh Hmami has filled that central role in recent weeks with some success but his midfield role is where Lakeland gets the best from him. Williams is still a young man learning the game but he does need time on the pitch, certainly more than the 15 or so he got at the weekend.Most disappointingly was Lynn’s insistence to play the long ball most of the afternoon. This was meat and drink to Sports Centre-backs Michael Gash and Ryan Fryatt – two former Linnets who were both outstanding all afternoon.Fryatt is a tremendous defender and for me it’s criminal that he is not playing for his hometown team. A few of us do know the reason why that is but it makes it no easier today to see him playing 35 miles down the road at the top of his game.Gash will always hold a special place in Linnets supporters following his spell at The Walks and his strike partnership with Adam Marriott, where he became something of a cult hero.He continues to be a great character and leader and character is something Lynn were missing on Saturday.These types of grounds are difficult for a visiting team to play at and, add to that a fast, direct and eager team and you have all the ingredients of a difficult afternoon -as it proved to be. Lynn’s manager had no complaints about the result and it was the better team who ran out winners on the day.What will be more frustrating for him (and the glorious amount of travelling supporters who made the trip west) will be the way Lynn rolled over against the opponents on the day.These are the kind of games where a point is acceptable in the grand scheme of a long, tough National League North season.It’s a long season, which Lakeland also confirmed, with lots of points still to be won and lost. The huge frustration is that it’s another big opportunity missed to continue to apply the pressure on the teams in and around them at the top of the National League North table.After all of that, there are still plusses to hold onto going into February.The Linnets were due in action on Tuesday evening with a trip to Rushall in the league with Lakeland indicating that both Margetts and Omotayo could be involved with both returning to training this week.This will be a major boost to both the team and supporters alike.Also, and despite the weekend defeat, Lynn are still very much in the mix for either the play-offs or automatic promotion as those around them continue to suffer with consistency. The month of February looks to be an interesting one, to say the least.There are no easy games in National League North and to prove a point Radcliffe are the visitors to The Walks on Saturday.Those with a good memory may remember Radcliffe’s management duo of Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson when they appeared on TV a few years back in a documentary series which chartered the rise of then-non-league Salford City as they sought to gain promotion to the full football league.It was, from memory, a good watch and an insight to behind-the-scenes life at a non-league football club. Since then the duo have been at a few clubs but have never quite reached the levels they did at Salford.I also remember well a few seasons ago Johnson, along with the then-Linnets boss Gary Setchell, being shown red cards following a particularly heated exchange on the touchline.Radcliffe was promoted in the summer and are making a pretty good fist of their season at level two, collecting some notable results along the way, including a fine 3-2 win over Hereford at the weekend.Before this Saturday’s trip to Norfolk, they were due to play Chester on Tuesday evening in a match vital to both ends of the table. Radcliffe has around four games in hand on most of the teams in the league and unless something disastrous happens, seem likely to retain their place in the league next season.The Linnets have already beaten Saturday’s opponents earlier in the season and will be hopeful of completing a double which they will need to do to continue their current placing in the table.