King's Lynn joint boss Kevin Boon believes Town's team spirit can carry them to the FA Vase semi-finals against Rye United today at The Walks. (3pm)

The Linnets are odds-on to progress past the Sussex County Division One side in their last-eight tie but Boon will treat the Sussex side with due respect.

Town's squad took time out from a congested fixture list for a spot of pre-match bonding ahead of the biggest game in the new club's brief history.

'Every game is bigger than the last one at the moment,' said Boon. 'It's everybody's dream for a club in its first season. I went to the Wroxham final with Buster (Chapman) and jokingly said 'wouldn't it be great to come back here with a side'. But you need luck, a decent side and hard-working people.

'Quality isn't enough and the likes of Danny White and Kieran Doherty epitomise that at present.

'We took the players off on Thursday for a swim and sauna and then we all had a meal together. It was a fantastic night and it was relaxed, but I think the lads know how serious it is now. The minds have to be on it – we have a great squad and I just hope by 5pm we have something to celebrate.'

Rye's lack of competitive action since the previous round curtailed Town's attempts to run the rule over their opponents.

'We went to watch them twice and on both occasions the games were called off but we didn't watch Norton, to be fair, either,' said Boon. 'We have got little bits of information. Keith Rudd knew a coach down that way who passed on some information – but I'm a believer that it's about us and what we do. We're not getting carried away. People can label these as outsiders but we were the outsiders against St Neots and when we went to Norton the people up there felt we were outsiders.'

Lynn's 34-goal top scorer Jack Defty is fit to start despite a niggling hip problem but St Neots FA Vase match winner Robbie Harris is a doubt.

'The only real worry we have is Robbie, who has been feeling sick all week,' said Boon. 'He didn't train with us Thursday but everyone knows he is a great player to have on that bench to bring on for 20 minutes or so if we need him. Jack will be okay to start. Whether he is fit to finish the game is another thing but Dubi (Ogbonna) is eligible.

'There'll be a few disappointed players and that is a mark of the squad. We're still looking to strengthen. We've put another seven days in for a young, raw player who is attracting some attention – which might come off next week. We have a lot of games coming up and we feel we need to add to the squad.'

Boon is counting on another major performance from Town's huge home support after driving Lynn onto victory against UCL Premier Division title rivals St Neots in the previous round.

'We have one of the best-supported clubs in non-league football and I know when our lads run out and see perhaps 1,500 or 2,000 fans they will know what is expected,' he said.

'Myself and Setch (Gary Setchell) have drilled it into them that they have to give these people what they want. I can see Rye maybe trying to take the game to us in the early stages, because if they had someone at Wellingborough last week that is what they tried to do, but we showed our character and come through in the end.'

• Extra-time will be played this afternoon if the sides are level after 90 minutes.