It's an anomaly of King's Lynn Town's season that their home form is arguably depriving them of a genuine automatic promotion shot.

The Pink Un: King's Lynn Town striker Michael Gash will be assessed before kick-off against Barwell Picture: Jamie HoneywoodKing's Lynn Town striker Michael Gash will be assessed before kick-off against Barwell Picture: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Ian Culverhouse's team are on a 18-match unbeaten run which has taken them to third place in the Southern Premier Central table, but they are 13 points behind second-placed Kettering and 17 behind Stourbridge.

The Linnets owe much of their success to their away record, which has seen them take 24 points from 12 games.

But their home record pales in comparison, with just four wins at The Walks – three under Culverhouse – and 18 points from a dozen fixtures, half of which have been draws.

Had Lynn had the same average points haul at home as they have away (exactly two a game) they would have another six points – and the top two would have been within much more comfortable touching distance.

It's why Culverhouse is urging his players to show their ruthless streak at home to 17th-placed Barwell this afternoon.

'Our home win ratio is something we have to improve upon,' the Lynn boss told the club's official web site.

'We need to get the game by the scruff of the neck early on, impose ourselves and convert the chances we have been creating at home.

'I would be worried if we were not creating, but we are and you get the feeling that eventually we will be putting these chances away.

'Early goals at home are always important not only for the team but for our supporters as well.

'You can sometimes feel the tension from the terraces on the bench if we haven't got the lead in a game but football is about working hard as a unit to generate positive results and in matches you do not always get four goals inside the opening 30 minutes.

'We play in a certain way and we will not be changing that. We always believe we will score goals, we have the players to score goals but we need to be focused and more clinical in front of goal sometimes.'

Lynn will be without Aaron Jones, who is recovering from knee surgery, while Jordan Richards and striker Michael Gash are responding to treatment and will be assessed on their fitness before the match.