Match Report by Tom Murphy…
Marine beaten in Norfolk by promotion chasing King’s Lynn Town…
Marine suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat on the road at King’s Lynn Town as they lacked the required tenacity in the final third.
Despite an equaliser from Joe Mattock early in the second half, Neil Young’s side remain in the bottom four on 21 points, three points from safety after today’s loss.
The forwards struggled to get on the ball throughout the game with the likes of Enock Lusiama and Kallan Murphy limited to few chances.
The Mariners struggled in the opening stages to find any rhythm and they went behind after 10 minutes thanks to Tommy Hughes.
Josh Hmami was too quick for James Butler who was breezed past by the winger, he then found Hughes in the box who slotted home the opener from close range.
There was little response from Marine after the hosts took the lead and Hughes almost set up a second for his team with 20 minutes played.
The goal scorer worked his way into the box brilliantly and found Finlay Barnes who was unable to steer his effort goalwards.
After a slow and disappointing first half from Marine, Neil Young’s side came out of the blocks quickly after the restart.
Half time substitute Chris Doyle did well to draw the foul on the half way line, Kallan Murphy plucked the ball out of the sky beautifully from the Leigh Whelan cross and Mattock was quickest to react to smash home a quick equaliser in the second half.
King’s Lynn responded quickly and hit Marine with a sucker punch minutes later.
Substitute Ross Crane burst forward down the left hand side, cut in and placed his strike superbly past Matty Corran who had no chance in the Marine net as the hosts went in front again.
After the goal, similar to the first, Marine struggled to respond and struggled to create major chances that would put Patrick Boyes under any trouble.
The hosts wrapped up the three points when Hmami punished Marine on a clinical counter attack in the dying stages of the game.
Young’s side now look ahead to next Saturday’s game against Buxton at home.
Marine: Matty Corran, Joe Mattock, James Butler, Josh Wardle (Chris Doyle 46’), James Brown, Leigh Whelan, Harvey Gregson (Owen Robinson 79’), Kaedyn Kamara (Andy Scarisbrick 65’), Adam Thomas (Lewis Bell 59’), Kallan Murphy, Enock Lusiama (Finlay Sinclair-Smith 70’).
Attendance: 1,059.