ACE BRETT SHOWS HIS CLASS IN FIGHTBACK

TWO goals down in nine minutes and then 3-2 adrift with 12 minutes remaining, King’s Lynn Town came from behind a third time to snatch a dramatic draw from a six-goal thriller against Eastleigh at the Silverlake Stadium.

Substitute Brett McGavin – on a season-long loan from Ipswich Town – grabbed the equaliser nine minutes from time with a stunning free-kick into the top right-hand corner.

Eastleigh turned round 2-0 up at half-time, only to be pegged back by second half goals by Michael Clunan and Ethan Coleman.

It looked curtains again for Lynn when Ben House restored the Spitfires’ lead, but McGavin ensured that justice was done.

Manager Ian Culverhouse commended the character his players showed, but conceded: “We should never have been in that position.

“We conceded two really soft goals, giving ourselves the proverbial mountain to climb, but we were outstanding in the second half.”

Eastleigh had failed to score in either of their opening National League defeats by Wrexham and Bromley – but they were gifted an own goal with just 51 seconds on the clock.

Under pressure from the lively Ryan Hill, former Spitfires central defender Pierce Bird lobbed a back pass over the head of his own advancing goalkeeper Paul Jones from fully 30 yards out.

Eastleigh doubled their lead in the ninth minute when former Bradford City midfielder Harry Pritchard rifled a low shot across Jones’ bows to make it 2-0.

Lynn lost striker Gold Omotayo to what Culverhouse described “a nasty ankle injury” but the visitors’ were beginning to get some momentum with Coleman and Clunan going close.

Culverhouse sent on the 21-year old McGavin to give King’s Lynn a greater threat in midfield and within three minutes they clawed one back with Clunan seizing on a poor clearance to make it 2-1.

Then, midway through the second half, Lynn were level through Coleman.

But when Pritchard guided a leftwing cross on to the head of House 12 minutes from time, it appeared their Lynn’s efforts would be to no avail.

Not so. Four minutes from time, the visitors were awarded a free-kick just outside of the box and McGavin roofed it into Joe McDonnell’s top right-hand corner.

It left Eastleigh boss Ben Strevens furious with the way his side had thrown the points away.

“I’m as angry as I’ve ever been. I’m absolutely furious about what happened in the second half. What happened was unacceptable. Our defending simply wasn’t good enough.

“I’ve lost plenty of games of football in my career, but I don’t think I’ve ever been as angry as this.”