Ian Culverhouse has been applauded for leading King’s Lynn Town’s David & Goliath match to the verge of a sensational promotion.

Linnets defender Rory McAuley says the former Norwich City defender and assistant manager has been “brilliant” after leading the club to promotion at Warrington last summer and an unlikely successive promotion this time around.

The coronavirus pandemic has put the brakes on the Linnets National League North campaign, with the club now involved in voting whether the season should be cancelled – and then being asked to determine the outcomes in terms of promotion and relegation.

“For a guy who’s been an assistant manager in the Premier League, it meant so much to him when we went up against Warrington. He’s started again as a manager in his own right and he has been brilliant to work with,” said McAuley. “The way he wants us to play football suits my game down to the ground. We’ve gone into the Conference North and taken everyone by surprise. Not just by our results but by the way we play football.

“A lot of managers have said that we have been the best team they have come up against and when you consider the size of some of these clubs. Teams like York, Chester, Hereford, all ex-football league clubs and we’ve gone into that league and outplayed the majority of them and have led the pack for most of the season.”