King’s Lynn Town 2 Darlington 1

Ross Crane inspired King’s Lynn Town to a come-from-behind victory in a match decided by a hat-trick errors.

Both goalkeepers played their parts in the first-half goals – Crane the provider for Tommy Hughes - before Crane stuck with 11 minutes to go after causing havoc in the Darlington defence.

Victory ended Lynn’s mini two-game losing run in the National League North at The Walks as the visitors conceded for the first time after seven clean sheets.

Manager Adam Lakeland made two changes to the midweek FA Cup side, both in midfield, with Tommy Hughes in for Josh McCammon and Josh Hmami back for Sam Walker.

Lynn had been on the back foot for the opening 10 minutes but when they finally found their passing feet, they created the first chance of the game, Crane turning well down the left, flashing in a low cross which Hmami fired goalwards only to be denied by the flying Peter Jameson.

But a rare mistake by Paul Jones gifted Darlington the lead on 13 minutes, when Jack Maskell’s low shot from eight yards squirmed through his hands.

Lynn were being given a harsh lesson in how to pass quickly and accurately - had Darlington had their shooting boots on it might have quickly got worse.

Greg Taylor should have given Lynn an unlikely equaliser on 32 minutes when his header from an Hmami corner looked goalbound, only to be cleared by Maskell on the line.

But the leveller came two minutes later, and it owed much to Crane’s persistence when he closed down defender Toby Lees as he tried to control a pass from his keeper. Crane squared it across the area for Hughes to strike, and although his effort wasn’t the strongest, keeper Peter Jameson let it squirm under his body.

Hmami put a free-kick over, Freddie Sass had a shot blocked and Fin Barnes clipped a shot wide as Lynn looked to ride the wave after their goal.

Moments after the restart Jones did well to deny Matty Cornish from a narrow angle as the visitors again started the half stronger.

But Lynn grew not the game and sub Theo Williams almost made an instant impact after replacing Gold Omotayo, when he was freed by Taylor, but pushed the ball too far right and could only fire at the keeper’s chest from a difficult angle.

A poor clearance by Hmami gave Andrew Nelson a free shot but he fired straight at Jones.

It was error number three that gifted Lynn their second goal, but Crane was again at the heart of it – Lees allowed a high ball to bounce on the edge of the Darlington area, and as he and keeper Jameson went to claim control, Crane muscled in on both and the loose ball fell perfectly for him to slot into an empty net.

King’s Lynn Town: Jones, Sass, Taylor, Wilson, Crowe, Johnson, Hmami (McCammon 78), Hughes, Crane, Barnes (Ronan 88), Omotayo (Williams 65). Subs not used: Coulson, Boyes.

Goals: Hughes 34, Crane 79

Darlington: Jameson, Barrow, Lees, Forbes, Cornish, Hatfield, Maskell, Nelson, Flint, McGowan, Griffiths. Subs: Evans, Small. Payne, Rivers, Al-Shabeeb.

Goal: Maskell 13

Attendance: 874