Linnets skipper Sam Gaughran knows all about what it takes to gain promotion to step two of the non-league pyramid.

The experienced centre-back played a key part in getting Lowestoft Town promoted to Conference North via the Ryman Premier play-offs in 2014. After helping the Blues get established at step two, the former Norwich City academy member decided to drop down a level and join boyhood club Lynn, after getting a job coaching Peterborough United's youngsters.

'It was quite a hard decision in the summer to leave Lowestoft but I've gone into King's Lynn and loved every moment,' Gaughran said. 'From the first session to now, it's been easy for me because I know quite a few of the players and quite a lot of the players I've coached. So that's been quite fun and everyone has made me feel welcome.

'It was going good at Lowestoft, I thought I had quite a good season in Conference North, so that was in my thought process when dropping down but to be fair the standard in the Southern Premier is a lot better than the Ryman Premier when I won it with Lowestoft, with everyone beating everyone.'

Lynn got back to winning ways with a 1-0 win over Frome Town at The Walks last Saturday, thanks to a goal from teenage striker Dylan Edge. Their midweek trip to Stratford Town was postponed but the Linnets are back on the road today, with a trip to Somerset to face bottom-of-the-table Paulton Rovers.

'Results have been, inconsistent, you could say!' Gaughran continued. 'We've had some very good results, if you look at Poole running away with it, but we beat them (3-2, in September) and very comfortably.

'Against the top teams we've played very well but against the teams at the bottom we've struggled and dropped points. I looked at it again and if we had picked up points against the bottom three, we'd be joint second.'

Of today's clash, the 25-year-old added: 'It's a massive game, we're not taking it for granted at all because they came to our place and drew (0-0), so i think there position might be a bit false.'

Gaughran believes a play-off push is still possible as well, saying: 'I look back on the year I got promoted with Lowestoft, we were 12th at Christmas and people were writing us off because Maidstone and Dulwich Hamlet were flying away with it.

'Then we went on a run of 24 games unbeaten and got into the play-offs and won them. So I look at that and I think it's the same with King's Lynn, if we can get on a run after Christmas.'