Lowestoft overcame a shaky opening spell to gain their biggest F A Cup victory for 4 years over a strong physical Corby Town at Steel Park, writes Terry Lynes.

Jamie Godbold gave a first start to Harvey Sayer and moved Sam Johnson to full back at the expense of Charlie Norman for this FA Cup Preliminary Round tie.

The move looked to have backfired as The Trawlerboys struggled to cope with the physical direct approach of the Steelmen.

Strangely a serious injury to Johnson saw the defence reshuffled with the introduction of Norman and the new set up started to repel the home attacks.

With the midfield of Louis McIntosh, Kyle Haylock and Dave Hinton working prodigiously Lowestoft started to come more into the game with the front three of Sayer, Jake Reed and Adam Hipperson causing the home defence problems.

But Lowestoft had a lucky escape as a quick counter saw Joe Adebayo break clear but after rounding Luke Holt he could only shoot into the side netting.

After a first half littered with stoppages, Lowestoft took the lead in the sixth minute of eight added on to the end of the half.

Hipperson cut in diagonally from the left and slipped a perfect pass through the Corby defence for Reed to gleefully smash into the roof of the net.

Any thought of a Corby fightback were effectively ended five minutes after the break as Sayer again impressed down the right to send a low cross into the six yard box for Haylock to race in and sweep into the net.

The Trawlerboys rode their luck as a powerful header from Toby Hilliard smashed against the crossbar and the rebound was blazed over.

Lowestoft though were more ruthless and Reed’s pace took him clear of the home defence in the 69th minute to calmly slip the ball past Ben Heath as he raced out from his goal.

To round off an excellent afternoon Reed completed his hat trick with the last kick of the game as he again got ahead of the defence to slide the ball past the keeper.

CORBY TOWN: Heath, Thomas, Gordon (Sub Edge 34), Keeble, Sanders (Sub Butterworth 45), Jacklin, O’Brien, Thompson-Mathews (Sub Setchell 73), Hilliard, Richardson, Adebayo, Subs (Not used) Oti, Bukowski, Milne, Koroma.

LOWESTOFT TOWN: Holt, Murphy, Johnson (Sub Norman 22), McIntosh, Cole, Ruffles, Haylock (Sub Fitzgerald 82), Hinton, Reed, Sayer, Hipperson (Sub Logan 71), Subs (Not used) Nunn, Burwood, White, Eagle

REDEREE: Mr J Gordon

Attendance: 533

Report by Terry Lynes