Ben Stephens back for King's Lynn Town trip to Gloucester

Lynn manager Adam Lakeland is still in the market for someone to help add some much-needed punch to an attack which has scored just five goals in the last seven games, just one of them coming from four outings at The Walks.

Stephens has scored two of those to take his tally for the season to five, two behind leading scorer Bartosz Cybulski.

His straight red card in the 2-2 draw at Buxton saw him miss three games, but Lakeland is expected to put him back in the starting line-up at fellow relegation battlers Gloucester – a game which even at this stage is a six-pointer.

Linnets boss Adam Lakeland (Image: Ian Burt)

“We know that we've got to create opportunities going into next week,” said Lakeland. ”We've got probably our most creative player, Ben Stephens back, who's been a massive miss for us - he has got that little bit of quality to link the units and the back line and the midfield players to the attackers.

“He will be like a new signing for us come next weekend.”

Cybulski returned for the goalless draw against Chester last weekend, although perhaps not fully recovered from an ankle injury, while new signing Jonny Margetts has struggled for service.

“It's been a challenge for us, our strike force, because we've obviously had Jordan (Ponticelli) injured, came back, injured again,” said Lakeland. “We've obviously had Bartosz, who has done great for us in certain games. I thought he was tremendous today (against Chester) but he's been out injured. He's been really struggling with his ankle - and he's still struggling with his ankle. But I pulled him aside on Thursday and I said, ‘look, I need you. I need you on the pitch - if you're playing EFL they’d be chucking a needle into your ankle every week and you'd be going out there and playing. Our leading goal scorer and we need you' - and fair play, he's accepted that challenge and he's given us everything there while he was on the pitch.

“Jonny's not been able to train with us this week because he's had to work his notice at Doncaster, so we've done a lot of work Thursday, Friday obviously with him not involved, which is why he started the game on the bench.

“But we've got good options there – I thought Owen (Devonport) did well today and obviously with Ben coming back I'm sure we'll start to establish partnerships at the top end of the pitch that can hopefully fire us to a few more goals.”

Gloucester – who have veteran former Dereham Town striker Danny Wright in their squad - are one place and one point below Lynn, with a game in hand.

Above Lynn, in the last safe spot, are Southport, three points ahead and with three games in hand, with Spennymoor on the same points, but with four games in hand on the Linnets. Southport travel to Boston United this weekend while Spennymoor host Peterborough Sports.