Lowestoft Town starting line-up: Jessup, Gleeson, Eagle, Fisk, Mitchell, Gaughran, Frew, Cockrill, Defty, Henderson, Francis
Subs: Saker, Ainsley, Stone, Gomes, Alves

King's Lynn Town starting line-up: Street, Watson, Yong, Fryatt, Gulliver, Bunting, Spriggs, Quigley, Forshaw, Turner, Thurlbourne
Subs: Beaumont, Dunkley, Buhlemann, Mcleish, Livotti, Biles, Sarycevas

On a sunny Saturday afternoon at King's Lynn's "The Walks", the Linnets entertained Lowestoft Town. It was an early encounter for Jamie Forshaw to come up against his old Trawlerboys team-mates. It was also a return to an old stomping ground for many of the current Lowestoft players, Fisk, Mitchell, Gaughran, Frew, Francis and Defty.

Sam Gaughran was given the honour of the captain's armband for the day, as Greg Crane was unavailable, along with Lee Smith, Erkan Okay, Danny Cunningham, Adam Smith and the injured Andy Reynolds.

The game started, and within a minute, Scott Mitchell had already put in a tackle on Jamie Forshaw and Kings Lynn were awarded a free-kick that Thurlbourne took and Jessup watched sail over the bar.

A good run by Lynn's Quigley, and pass to the lively Forshaw led to nothing. Another good run by Forshaw in the 6th minute led to a second free-kick, taken by Thurlboune. This time his effort hits the well organised Lowestoft wall and away to safety.

Forshaw gets an effort on target which he clips over Jessup and it goes just wide in the 11th minute. Frew wins the ball out wide and passes to Henderson who shoots on the turn, this goes just wide of the post on 14 minutes.

In the 16th minute a Francis shot goal-bound is put in the net by Defty but his effort is ruled out for offside. A minute later King's Lynn are awarded a free-kick about 30 yards out after a heavy challenge by Frew. Forshaw, desperate to score against his old club, has another effort high over the bar.

Spriggs is starting to look more and more lively going forward. Frew wins Lowestoft a corner taken by Eagles, which goes close to the keeper Street. He has to punch away smartly.

Good hold-up play by Quigley and another good cross by Spriggs was well handled by Lowestoft keeper Jessup.

In the 24th minute Quigley takes a knock, it's not the first time in the game today that we have seen some good tough tackling from Frew.

Kings Lynn are more than a match for the Lowestoft side and it's still goal-less after 30 minutes.

Frew has a long range effort that hits the inside of the post and bounces out with the keeper Street well beaten, probably coming the closest in the match so far. Cockrill has a high shot from distance over the bar on 34 minutes, and a late tackle on Francis by Yong gives Lowestoft another Eagle chance setpiece. However, nothing comes of it. Gaughran concedes a free-kick against Forshaw, but his effort goes straight into the wall. Yong puts in another tough tackle on Henderson and must be close to a booking, surely.

Gleeson strides forward and manages get in a shot but this goes well wide. Good work by Frew and a Henderson effort forces to Street make a smart save down low to his left. Henderson gets another good shot off and the referee brings the first-half to an end with the score at nil-nil.

Kings Lynn made an early second-half change with Turner coming off and Dunkley coming on in the 48th minute. Good play between Eagle and Francis, and then a great ball into the
box see Defty get in a great header which Street tips over the bar. Defty also does well from the corner and is really holding the ball up well today.

A great move on 51 minutes involving Eagle, Francis, Fisk, Cockril and finally a tame shot by Frew rounds off some good play by the Ryman Premier side.

Kings Lynn made another change which sees Spriggs make way for Beaumont.

The Frew-Henderson interplay is working well with Henderson getting in another shot.

Henderson makes way for Stone on the hour-mark.

Francis has another two efforts in the space of a couple of minutes, before King's Lynn create their best chance of the match involving Forshaw setting up Beaumont who is clean through, but he blazes well wide, with the goal at his mercy.

Francis finds Stone, but Stone takes to long over it, before the ball finds it's way to Frew who blazes over the bar.

On 67 minutes, Gleeson and Cockrill make way for Saker and Ainsley. On 72 minutes, the only goal of the game comes from Joe Francis, who slots the ball home from a tight angle.

Yong is booked for a tussle with Stone near the dugouts in the play leading up to the goal.

Watson comes off for Buhlemann and Lowestoft bring on Gomes and Alves on 75 minutes for the final quarter of an hour.

The crowd of 416 have been treated to a good pre-season friendly, and Ainsley with 5 minutes to go, nearly caught Street out but he tips over the bar. Lowestoft could and should have doubled the lead through Stone, who rounded the keeper and was drawn wide, he had an open goal, but put the ball over the bar.

A solid all-round team performance, but my man of the match was Robert Eagle who ran tirelessly for the full 90. Defty again looked good and I'm sure the goal will come soon.

Lowestoft have a home game on Tuesday night, (31st July), against Norwich United with a 7:45pm kick off, and further games against a Norwich City XI on Friday, (3rd August), and Billericay Town next Saturday, (4th August).

Steven End - Press Officer, Lowestoft Town Football Club