King’s Lynn Town 1 Radcliffe 1

King’s Lynn Town dropped valuable points in the promotion race when they were held at home by strugglers Radcliffe.

Lynn started the day sixth in the National League North table while Radcliffe were 21st – their end-of-season targets are clearly very different.

But for long periods it was the visitors who dictated play, particularly during a first half when Lynn were fortunate to go in level. Jonny Margetts scored from the penalty spot after Radcliffe had opened the scoring on 10 minutes.

Lynn remain in the play-off spots, but the pack are closing.

Lynn boss Adam Lakeland made three changes to the side which drew at Rushall in midweek – in came Finlay Armstrong, Josh McCammon and striker Margetts, with Kian Ronan, Tommy Hughes and Fin Barnes on the bench, where they were joined by striker Gold Omotayo, returning after an ankle injury.

The hosts were behind on 10 minutes - a stretching Sam Walker could only prod the ball towards Sam Greenfield who drove in a low shot from 20 yards which beat keeper Paul Jones, who should have done better.

The irony is that exactly a week ago, to the minute, Jones was producing a brilliant save, also down to his right, to keep out a penalty at Peterborough Sports.

The goal was the least the visitors deserved, having started the game on the front foot.

Jones did well to deny Josh Hancock on 16 minutes, blocking a shot on the turn with his feet. Hancock was twice off target as Lynn looked frighteningly vulnerable at the back.

Lynn came close to levelling on 38 minutes, Armstrong getting in a lovely low cross from the left and Crane smashing the ball against the right post from close range. The rebound fell to Josh McCammon but his effort was blocked.

It was by far Lynn’s best spell of the game, and on the stroke of half-time they got their reward when Greenfeld crashed into Sam Walker as he went for Armstrong’s cross. The ref took a moment or two and then pointed to the penalty spot.

Margetts kept his cool to slot home from 12 yards and Lynn were back in the game.

The returning striker could have put Lynn ahead soon after the break but keeper Mateusz Hewelt did well to keep out his header from Walker’s corner.

It was much better by the Linnets, but Radcliffe were a tough nut to track. Josh Hmami pushed one wide and with 10 minutes left forced Hewelt into a save, but it was a game that had long since become attritional.

Hmami could have settled it with minutes remaining, but shot straight at the keeper’s legs then put the rebound wide of an open goal.

King’s Lynn Town: Jones, Crowe (Ronan 90), Wilson, Taylor, Armstrong, Johnson, Walker (Barnes 68), Hmami, McCammon, Crane (Hughes 83), Margetts (Omotayo 68). Subs not used: Coulson.

Goal: Margetts 45pen

Radcliffe: Hewelt, Jackson, Duxbury, Smith, Maynard, Hancock (Wood 67), Glendon (Walker 83), Hulme, Roscoe, Sargent, Greenfield. Subs not used: Dudley, Navarro, Riley.

Goal: Greenfield 10

Att: 801