Margetts is spot-on as Linnets win

Striker Jonny Margetts scored his first goal for almost three months as King’s Lynn Town ended a run of four successive defeats with a narrow win over Southport.Margetts converted a penalty eight minutes from time as the Linnets regained the winning thread in the National League North.After a stale first 45 minutes, Lynn were much better in the second half as Adam Lakeland’s side deservedly picked up all three points.There were three changes to the Linnets team that exited the FA Trophy at Leamington last weekend.Pat Boyes replaced goalkeeper Paul Jones, who was missing with a knee injury, between the posts while Tommy Hughes and Kyle Callan McFadden returned to the side at the expense of Dylan Crowe and Finlay Barnes who both dropped to the bench.Neither side got a real foothold in the game in a scrappy opening 25 minutes as Storm Bert made conditions difficult for players and spectators alike.A lovely piece of skill from Ross Crane saw him squeeze his way past a visiting defender but the move was brought to an abrupt end by the sight of the offside flag. A crude challenge by a visiting midfielder ended Josh McCammon’s bursting run and the resulting Lynn free-kick was cleared as chances continued to be at a premium in a dour first half. McCammon looked the most likely source of a goal as he saw his saw deflected behind for a corner eight minutes before the break.The best chance of the half fell the way of the visitors in the 43rd minute as a well-struck effort from David Morgan flashed past the far post of Boyes’ goal.The trio of McCammon, Josh Hmami, and Jonny Margetts all had their efforts blocked in a bout of pinball, as Lynn showed a bit more purpose at the start of the second half. Finlay Barnes was introduced into the fray 17 minutes from time and it was his curling free-kick on the edge of the box that almost broke the deadlock three minutes later.Lynn continued to push for a winner as the clock ticked down and they were rewarded when a push on Greg Taylor in the box from a corner resulted in referee Mark Bell pointing to the penalty spot. After missing a late penalty at South Shields a fortnight ago, Margetts showed nerves of steel to step up and fire the Linnets in front – and that’s the way it stayed as Lynn saw out the remaining minutes without any alarms.King’s Lynn Town: Boyes, Crane (Crowe 82), Wilson, Coulson (Barnes 73), Taylor, McFadden, Johnson, Hughes (Sass), McCammon, Hmami, Margetts (Williams 90). Subs: WalkerSouthport: Renshaw, Williams (Hilton 88), Knight-Percival (85), Morgan (Angus 71), Carver, Quansah, Moore, Burgess, Minihan, Stafford (Thomson 88), Philliskirk. Subs: Arthur.