Out-of-sorts Linnets struggle to draw in FA Cup

Lynn were indebted to skipper Michael Clunan, whose 53rd-minute goal kept them in the competition after Drew Richardson put the visitors ahead with the final kick of the first half.

The hosts were far from convincing while former boss Gary Setchell will fancy his Southern League Central Premier team’s chances of causing an upset at the second attempt.

Lynn made two changes, with Josh Barrett and Olly Scott coming in for Jordan Ponticelli and Cameron Hargreaves. Kyle Callan-McFadden was named on the bench – the first time he has featured in a Tommy Widdrington squad, having been absent with a back problem that required surgery.

Street did well to smother Aaron Jones, who benefited from a lovely cut-back on the edge of the area, but the visitors kept Lynn at bay in the opening stages. The recalled Barrett was a danger, although Bedford were quick to crowd him out.

Gold Omotayo leaps high during King's Lynn Town's FA Cup tie against Bedford Town (Image: Ian Burt)

Gold Omotayo linked up well with Ben Stephens to get in a low left-footer which Street scooped up, but the visitors were thankful to Sam Dreyer for a brilliant goal line clearance from Barrett’s shot after good work by Omotayo.

At the other end, Connor Tomlinson shot weakly at keeper Paul Jones, but it was a rare foray into the home area.

Lynn lost Stephens to injury on 23 minutes, Zane Walker coming on and within minutes firing into the side netting.

Richardson fluffed his lines with just Jones to beat, while Street had few problems gathering a header from Omotayo, who was unmarked as he rose to meet Aaron Jones’s cross.

Jones went into the book for a late challenge on Street as they both chased a raking crossfield pass from Barrett – but the arguments that followed failed to raise an unconvincing Lynn from their slumbers

They were thankful to Paul Jones for a superb flying save to keep out a header from a poorly marked Tyrone Lewthwaite.

It could have been a wake-up call, but it didn’t work out that way for Lynn, who went behind when Connor Tomlinson got in a cross from the left and Richardson slid in to poke it past Jones.

The tone of Widdrington’s half-time team talk perhaps didn’t change much – a goal down or not, Lynn were flat and out of sorts.

Whatever was said, it produced a response as captain Clunan rode to the rescue on 53 minutes, firing into the bottom left corner after Omotayo had moved on Olly Scott’s cross from the left.

It sparked a better spell for Lynn, although there were still frustrations – Street simply wasn’t worked hard enough, although his own team-mate Sam Dreyer almost beat him with a back header.

Street easily gathered an Omotayo header then watched Barrett’s shot fly past his left post.

Josh Coulson saw a header come back off the post and into Street’s grateful arms, but Bedford could have won it in the final minutes but for a brilliant Coulson block to deny Hugh Alban-Jones.

King’s Lynn: P Jones, A Jones, Scott, Denton (Ponticelli 71), Coulson, Crowther, Widdrington, Clunan, Barrett, Stephens (Walker 23, Keller 81), Omotayo. Subs not used: Fleming, Callan-McFadden, Hargreaves, Knowles.

Bedford Town: Street, Richardson, Warburton, Dreyer, Sanders, Alban-Jones, Tomlinson, Donnelly (Thorne 66), Lewthwaite (Mackail-Smith 83), Setchell, Butterworth (Keeble 55). Subs not used: Moloney, Summerfield.

Att: 1,009