Our FA Cup win at Doncaster probably rates as one of our finest performances ever.

While it may have been a shock to some football supporters, there were many synergies with our last victory over a League T team, Port Vale, in 2020, that gave me a strong inkling that it was going to be our day again.

As I walked down before the game to the pitch, where I would lay a wreath in remembrance of those that have made the ultimate sacrifice, AC/DC’s Thunderstruck was playing around the stadium – we also love a bit of AC/DC at The Walks so that was the first good sign. 

Eastern Daily Press:

As I stood pitch side I chatted to a member of the Royal British Legion and I mentioned that the last time I laid a wreath at a League Two ground “we won 1-0, you know”. He made a joke of it and said that he hoped history would not repeat itself, but I had to remind him that it often does. That was the second sign.

By standing on the pitch, I got to wish all our players the best of luck and every one of them seemed focused and full of desire. I could see in their eyes that they felt this was their moment to shine, it was a day when they would get the recognition that they deserved. They sincerely believed that they were not there to make up the numbers – that was the third sign.

My eldest son Luka was at that game at Vale Park as was one of our sponsors, Peter Hancock from Barsbys, and both were present at Doncaster – sign number four.

The manager and I had a chat a couple of days before the game and he felt we would win it - a big call from him, but bang on the money as usual. That was sign number five.

I am not superstitious at all, but by the time the game started I felt inside my heart as well as my head that we would win the game. At Port Vale, it was Sonny Carey who put in the only goal of the game on the 82nd minute. Gold Omotayo was 60 seconds late, scoring in the 83rd minute, but I forgave him instantly, as the ball hit the back of the net in front of the 661 Lynn fans who had made the 100-mile journey north. They deserved that moment for all that they have had to endure over the two previous seasons.

Our reward is a tough second round home game against Stevenage, which has given Lynn their debut on terrestrial TV, the BBC making it their live Saturday lunchtime game. 

We have had a few big games in the time that I have been at the club - the battles against Hereford, the play-offs, the Super play-off win at Warrington, Port Vale, Portsmouth, Walsall, Doncaster and now Stevenage. 

Had we drawn a League One side away from home and I was following the same logic that I have just outlined, I would have had a very morose week. This time, though, we drew another League Two side and this time we are at home. Whilst there is no doubting that the game will be tough and Steve Evans will certainly be no push over, in every sense of the word, we will give it our all and in a one-off game anything can happen.

We took 66 fans on Tuesday night to Scarborough when we proved that we do not know when we are beaten, coming back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 at a team managed by the ex-Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion player Jonathan Greening.

Scarborough are now unbeaten at home for a year, which is a credit to them, although there is no doubt that their 3G pitch plays a huge part in their results and their moving goalposts certainly helped create confusion for their opening goal against us. It was the first time that I have ever seen that happen at any football game. The goals were on wheels and had no brakes on. Surely that should not be allowed in the professional game.

All thoughts of playing Stevenage must remain firmly out of our minds as we play Kidderminster Harriers at The Walks today and follow that up with a trip to Southport on Tuesday night. These are two tough fixtures - last season Kidderminster almost knocked West Ham out of the FA Cup fourth round and they certainly have players that can hurt anyone on their day.

With Alvechurch beating League One Cheltenham last weekend, Torquay finding a way to take Derby County to a replay, many non-league players from various clubs moving up several leagues over recent seasons and looking comfortable at their new levels, is it time to ask a few questions?

Players such as Sorba Thomas, recently of National League Boreham Wood, but now at Huddersfield and selected to play for Wales in Qatar this winter, will be strutting his stuff on the biggest stage of all. Could it be that the levels between the leagues is not that great at all, are these just freak events, or is it the magic of the cup?  That is something you will have to decide for yourself.