King's Lynn Town 2 Buxton 0

King’s Lynn Town turned in arguably their best performance of the season to keep themselves firmly in the mix at the top end of the National League North table.

First-half goals from Josh Hmami and Ross Crane earned the points as Lynn kept their fingers on the control button for the full 90 minutes.

“I thought we were excellent today for 94, 95 minutes,” said manager Adam Lakeland. “Just a really composed and controlled performance. I thought we looked really good both with and without the ball, very organised, disciplined and fit, against a good footballing team we made it difficult for them to play through our shape.

“It was just a really good, professional performance from start to finish.”

Lakeland wanted no hangover from last weekend’s FA Cup exit at Curzon Ashton – and his players responded.

Lakeland was without injured pair Freddie Sass and keeper Paul Jones, which gave Pat Boyes a debut in goal. Gold Omotayo, Sam Walker and striker Theo Williams dropped to the bench, with Tommy Hughes, Ross Crane, Fin Barnes and Josh McCammon back in the starting line-up.

It was a line-up missing a dedicated striker, but the midfielders took responsibility.

Five minutes in the rain fell in stair-rods, but Lynn began to control the game. Hmami almost teed up Crane but the keeper got to the ball first while Kieran Burton’s timely intervention halted Hmami’s progress as he picked up a perfect pass from Crane.

But the first real test for Buxton keeper True Grant came on the half-hour mark when he kept out a Hughes half volley from 20 yards.

The breakthrough came five minutes later and was started by a perfect diagonal ball from Hughes to Dylan Crowe out on the right. His low cross skidded across the area and was met perfectly by Crane, who drove it into an empty net from six yards.

Goal number two came four minutes later and again from the right flank, where Barnes bamboozled a handful of Bucks, got into the area and then cut the ball back for Hmami, who had time to cut back on his right foot and smash the ball in off the right post.

Five minutes after the break, Hmami almost made it three after being released by McCammon but keeper Grant, at full stretch, pushed the ball away for a corner.

Lynn remained dominant, and managed the game out well for a thoroughly deserved three points.

King’s Lynn Town: Boyes, Crowe, Wilson, McFadden, Taylor (C), Johnson, McCammon, Hughes, Crane (Omotayo 90), Hmami (Ronan 85), Barnes (Williams 77). Subs not used: Coulson, Walker.

Goals: Crane 35, Hmami 39

Buxton: Grant, Mann, Stobbs, De Girolamo (Tomlinson 82), Elliott, Sault, Coleman, White, Ravenhill (Leigh 58), Popoola, Burton. Subs not used: Cooper, Fitzhugh, Tomlinson, Mantle.

Att: 979