Report from Lynn News.
Where the Linnets had huffed and puffed in two matches against lowly Soham , they ran smoothly into form against Southport on Saturday.
Here is further proof that the FA Cup is a great leveller, a point made by manager Keith Rudd in his programme notes.
The Linnets grew in confidence as the match progressed which was a direct contrast to the nervous mid-week Cup battle.
And where Paul Chapman missed several cup-tie chances he was in decisively to score twice in a lively display.
In his best game of the season, Chapman helped pull the Southport defence apart to secure Lynn’s first Northern Premier League victory in a month,
Southport, to be honest, did not offer much after the initial skirmishes. They lacked skill, fitness and imagination – but was the latter because the Linnets stamped on them?
Marty Wiles continues to impress in the defence, John Moyes made a useful return after injury and Willie Rider given a free rein from his full back commitments scampered enthusiastically up and down the right flank.
There were plus points through the Lynn team and it all added up to a pointless first visit for Southport to The Walk and much to consider on the 230-mile return journey.
Chapman gave Southport early warning with a snap shot in the sixth minute after a slip by Steve Woodcock, but this went high. He drove in penetrating centres from either side of the goal which caused panic amongst the defenders and finally provided the opening for the 36th minute goal which had looked inevitable.
Taking a throw-in on the right, Chapman turned and hooked in a cross which beat keeper Alan Alty. As the ball sped across the face of the goal it was met by Clive Adams, diving low and under challenge from a defender, for a header into the net.
It was a deserved lead, for the Linnets had looked much sharper in all departments of the game and Southport’s occasional replies from Alan Francis and John Smith hardly troubled Phil Ringwood.
The second half was marked by six bookings and Chapman’s two goals.
The goals first: in the 67th minute when Southport were unable to clear a corner from John Bailey, the ball fell to the feet of Rudd who picked out Chapman with a well judged chip and the centre forward headed in powerfully.
Six minutes later, Bailey pushed a through ball into Chapman’s path and he went round Woodcock before sliding a shot under Alty.
Looking to build on this lead, Lynn kept Alty under fire and twice he was injured when saving at the feet of Rudd and Chapman.
But there were no more goals. Southport, who had started the half with a shot from James Moogan ended it with another off-target effort from Woodcock.
Referee John Key worked overtime with three players on each side getting the yellow card treatment. It seemed that once he had set a standard then he would have to keep to it, but it seemed a bit farcical.
The Southport trio of Steve Woodcock, James Moogan and Dave Mitchell were deemed guilty of fouls, but we have all seen worse go unpunished: for Lynn there was Chapman (a minor “niggle”), Rudd (going in with the keeper for a 50-50 ball) and Watts obstructing a Southport defensive wall.