Linnets boss is obsessed by points, not style

Linnets boss Adam Lakeland knows his side’s fight for National League North survival could go down to the wire – and he doesn’t care how the points are accumulated.Lynn travel to Blyth Spartans tomorrow on the back of a six-match unbeaten run that has lifted them out of the drop zone.Recent victories over Brackley Town and South Shields coupled with other results going in their favour have pulled more clubs into relegation danger.But there is still much work to be done before the club can start building towards next season.Speaking after last weekend’s 3-1 home win, Lakeland said: “South Shields are a good side, they’ve got good individuals and they’ll probably go home aggrieved because they’ll think that they’ve come and they’ve stroked it about and had 60 per cent possession.“But I said to the lads that some people get carried away with style but I’m obsessed with points.”If it means that we’ve got to play a certain way against certain footballing teams, but we get the points, styles are irrelevant.”Lynn’s boss cut a lonely figure on the touchline last week with his assistant Sam Walker out on the pitch and Robbie Back hospitalised with an illness.”It’s not the first time and it is what it is,” he said.“You know, we need more support staff probably moving forward. But right now we’ll crack on with we know what we need to do this season.”We’ve got 10 big games to go and then in the summer we’ll be able to put an even greater stamp on it.”We do need one or two extra bodies and in fairness, we’ve got Backie who wasn’t with us today.”He’s been giving us support at home games and then you’ve got Walks (Sam Walker) who’s obviously on the pitch and you’ve got Josh Coulson on the pitch”I’ll probably have to shout more, but if not I’ve got leaders on the pitch and that helps me.”Lakeland has again highlighted the importance of every member of King’s Lynn Town’s squad as they continue a big run of games, which sees them go to Bishop’s Stortford on Tuesday night before hosting Rushall Olympic next weekend.“Sam is absolutely there but we won’t use him in every game, but the games where we need him or where we think it’s right to go with him, he’s ready and raring to go and when he is on the pitch he contributes a hell of a lot.“Everybody in the group has got a part to play, whether it’s Bart (Bartosz Cybulski) coming off the bench, Castro (Quevin) coming off the bench or Tommy Hughes, who has been out injured for a few weeks, he’s back and come on and showed little bits of composure”Gabby Rogers has not been on the pitch now for several weeks and he’ll be frustrated but it’s a collective effort and at some point, everybody will play a part.”So whether they are starting or whether they’re coming off the bench, they’ve got to be ready to go.”The Linnets should have defender Greg Taylor back available for their trip up north after Lynn’s boss resisted the temptation to use him in the home win over South Shields.”He could have potentially tried to play today but would have struggled to get through 90,” said Lakeland.”The downside is that if you play him and he pulls up, he probably misses three or four games and I just didn’t want that scenario.”He’s getting better day by day and he’s desperate to keep playing games. He’s loving his time at this football club and he’s been tremendous for us.”