Play-off blow with defeat for Linnets, Ghosts win, Town and Magpies draw while Pedlars defeated again

Lynn’s National League North play-off hopes suffered a blow this afternoon when they lost 3-0 at home to mid-table Spennymoor Town.Their 12th league defeat of the season sees them slip to ninth in the standings, albeit just a point away from the top seven, with seven games remaining.After dominating the early stages of the game, the Durham side had seemed to let Lynn off the hook as the hosts came back into proceedings.However, Aidan Rutledge gave The Moors a 41st-minute lead, which was doubled by Finley Shrimpton three minutes later to make it 2-0 at half-time.The Linnets came out fighting after the break and were much more impressive but the visitors still looked dangerous and sealed their win with a third, from Nathan Simpson, in added-on time.Adam Lakeland’s side faces another tough game next Saturday, away from home at sixth-place Buxton.Lynn: Jones, Ronan (Crowe 73), Sass, Coulson, Wilson, Armstrong (Crane 46), Taylor (Marsden 73), Hmami (Johnson 46), Warburton (Barnes 64), Margetts, Omotayo. Booked: Ronan, Crowe. Attendance: 1,344In the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division, Downham Town were knocked off the top spot after a 1-1 draw at 18th-place Stowmarket Town, Brantham Athletic taking over in first place after an impressive 2-0 win at Thetford Town. Matthew Castellan scored his first of the season for Downham but they also missed two penalties, one in the final minute. Fakenham Town are up to fifth after a 3-1 home win against struggling Lakenheath, Jake Watts with his 34th of the season, Finley Whiteley and sub Lewis Bonner netting for The Ghosts. Heacham are 15th after a 0-0 draw at Kirkley & Pakefield.Brantham have 63 points with eight games left, Downham 62 with six matches remaining, with Ely City on 60 (five left), Mulbarton Wanderers 58 (six) and Fakenham 58 (seven).In the Thurlow Nunn First Division North, a bottom-place finish was guaranteed for Swaffham Town with six games left after a 2-1 home defeat to Whittlesey Athletic, Neil Goodbourn scoring for The Pedlars.