Gary Setchell has hit out at his side's critics as King's Lynn Town prepare to move up the table...to fifth or HIGHER!

The back-to-back promoted Linnets crashed to two heavy home defeats before slipping to a 1-0 loss at Chorley on Saturday. However, they bounced back with a sensational 4-3 win at Ilkeston to leave themselves just two points outside of the Evo-Stik Premier Division's top five.

And Setchell feels it was ridiculous that his men took a hiding from some quarters because if results go their way today they could move into the play-off positions.

The Lynn boss, who missed Monday's seven-goal thriller to be at his ill son Danny's side in hospital, said: 'Some of the things written about us over the last two weeks, well I don't know what to say about them. We've spent three-and-a-bit years building a reputation and a team that gets success. And it took two or three games for people to question it. It's incredible. That's football I guess and supporters are entitled to their opinions.

'But I've heard words such as crisis, slide, the players are not good enough, the group is out of its depth. If we win today we can go into the top five. That's a simple fact. We don't get any grace. We put in two horrible performances (against Cambridge and Matlock) but we've also had four tremendous ones against Rushall, Barwell, Ilkeston and Worksop this season. It seems these are forgotten sometimes.

'The home fans could learn a lot from our away fans. We've got the best away fans in this league. But the home fans are just too quick to jump on the players backs. Some of the things that have been said have been laughable.'

Lynn, eighth, host 15th-placed Marine this afternoon with Setchell, and possibly his son, set to return to the dugout after the teenager – who has been suffering with gastroenteritis – was released from hospital.

On the pitch, Danny Gay (ankle) is still sidelined so Alex Street will keep his place in goal. Gary Mills (knee), Richard Duffy (ankle), Richard Bunting (calf) and Sam Mulready (hamstring) are all injury doubts. New loan signing Jake Jones from Tamworth will be in the squad as should Steve Spriggs.

Setchell said of his decision to send the latter on 'loan' to AFC Sudbury said: 'Steve Spriggs has signed dual terms with Sudbury, Alex Street Leiston and Ryan Fryatt Dereham, And yes, you are going to risk players getting injured or suspended.

'But people saw the benefits of Alex being at Leiston on Monday. Players need first-team football. Spriggsy was brave enough to come to me to say he wanted to go away, have a few games, score a few goals and get his confidence up. That's what he did in midweek. It was a no brainer.'