Whilst Yeovil Town are looking to end a disappointing season on a high, the visitors to Huish Park this weekend, King’s Lynn Town, are looking back on a good first season in the National League.
The Linnets, whose late equaliser earned a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture on the opening day of the season, will survive in the absence of relegation, but are unlikely to achieve boss Ian Culverhouse‘s aim of not finishing in the bottom three.
Even if you don’t count Dover Athletic, technically rock bottom on zero everything, they are sandwiched between Woking and Barnet and come in to the fixture without a win since the Easter Monday victory over Altrincham.
You have to go back to mid-January and a 1-0 win at Eastleigh to find the last time they won on the road, but they can’t go down which equals success for the Linnets.
Like many clubs, they have players on furlough and therefore unable to play – because, well, they are on furlough – and Culverhouse has had to bring in players from Step 2 and Step 3 clubs looking to make a name for themselves at this level, and a number of loan signings.
FROM (OUR) MANAGER
Normally, I would try to find you the views of the opposition manager in this pre-match previews, but I cannot find a word from Ian Culverhouse about his side’s trip to South Somerset.
So, here is what Glovers’ manager Darren Sarll had to say about them: “It’s a group of players playing with ridiculous freedom because their sole goal this season was to maintain their status in the league.
“They have done that with no relegation, which translates in to some very good football at times.
“A good game for us is winning and playing good football and my focus is on us rather than King’s Lynn.”
There is more from the manager on the club’s official matchday preview which you can read – here.
TEAM NEWS
According to the Eastern Daily Press, the Linnets’ only fitness concern is over midfielder Ryan Jarvis, who came off at half-time in the 4-1 defeat at Chesterfield in midweek.
That was the former Torquay United man’s first game in two months due to a knee injury.
Central defender Elkan Baggott, who is on loan from Ipswich Town, could return at Huish Park having missed the midweek defeat playing in an FA Youth Cup semi-final for his parent club.
It has been a busy season season for the 18-year-old, who made his senior debut for the Tractor Boys in the League Cup earlier this season, signed a professional contract, got called up by the Indonesian national team and joined King’s Lynn on loan.
The visitors will be without Adam Marriott, the prolific striker who nicked an 87th-minute equaliser against Yeovil on the opening day.
He joined Eastleigh in April with his contract at King’s Lynn up in the summer.
A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS
Tai Fleming – an 18-year-old defender who on his personal website describes himself as “a no nonsense defender who takes pride in defending” has made 15 appearances for King’s Lynn this season.
But, up until May 2020, he was on a scholarship with Yeovil Town and captained the youth team with four first-team appearances in pre-season friendly matches.
The youngster appears to have been a regular starter since arriving at The Walks, so expect him to line up against his old club this weekend.
Kwesi Appiah – spent a month on loan with Yeovil from Crystal Palace during the 2012-2013 – which turned out alright for us, as I recall.
He made five appearances for Gary Johnson’s men, coming off the bench for four of them which the Glovers won, and starting one – a 2-0 defeat at Colchester United on a cold February night.
Earlier in his career, whilst with Peterborough United, Appiah had a prolific spell with King’s Lynn FC scoring nine in 10 games for the Northern League Premier side before his loan spell was cut short when the club went bust. I’m not saying he’s unlucky, but….
King’s Lynn FC were eventually wound up in November 2009 with debts of £77,000 and reformed as today’s King’s Lynn Town in January 2010.
For the lowdown on King’s Lynn, listen to the chat with Jamie Heaphey, a volunteer at King’s Lynn Town, talk about loan players playing for expenses for the club on the latest edition of the Gloverscast.