Lowestoft Town striker Jake Reed admits he has rediscovered his love for the game with the Trawlerboys after notching the winner against promotion rivals Maidstone.

The 22-year-old signed for the Blues in October after a move to Dagenham & Redbridge didn't work out, and he hasn't looked back since.

Reed has plundered 13 goals to catapult Lowestoft back into contention for promotion and he believes his move to Crown Meadow couldn't have worked out any better so far.

'I'm really enjoying my football at the minute,' he said. 'When I was at Dagenham I wasn't really enjoying it but ever since I came here it's been brilliant. There's nothing better than playing for your hometown club.

'I must admit I was going off football a bit (whilst at Dagenham) but coming back here and playing week in, week out you start to love the game again.'

Reed looks to be establishing a good partnership up front with Michael Frew, who recently returned to the club after a loan spell at St Neots.

There were fears amongst some fans that Manny Osei's departure for Leiston had further reduced the Blues' goal threat but Reed believes his partnership with Frew can continue to bear fruit.

'I feel better with Frewy, no offence to Manny. Manny is the same type of player as me but Frewy is a big player and I can run off him and find a bit more space,' he said. 'It's much better up there with Frewy.'

Reed was at his predatory best again against Maidstone as his 94th-minute winner made it three wins on the spin for the Trawlerboys.

The former Great Yarmouth striker admitted his late salvo was his most telling contribution for the Blues since his move to Crown Meadow.

'That's got to be my most important goal I've got since I came here because it was against one of the better sides in a big game,' he said. 'They couldn't react afterwards – they were dead and buried. There were only around 30 seconds left afterwards and there was no time for them to come back at us.'

Lowestoft are now just two points outside the play-off places and Reed believes his side will be firmly in the shake-up at the end of the season.

'We can definitely be right up there – we've just got to be more consistent,' he said. 'Against the lower teams sometimes we haven't turned up and they are the games you need to win.

'That was probably our biggest result of the season (against Maidstone) and it's important we build on that in the games coming up.'