King's Lynn's ex-Norwich City youth product Adam Smith is poised to become the first of Tommy Taylor's title-chasing squad to agree terms for next season.

King's Lynn's ex-Norwich City youth product Adam Smith is poised to become the first of Tommy Taylor's title-chasing squad to agree terms for next season.

Taylor expects to complete the formalities on a new contract at this weekend's Southern League home clash against Northwood.

The Linnets' chief is determined to secure the nucleus of his current squad in readiness for what he hopes could be an all-out assault for a place in the Nationwide Conference National set-up the following year.

"It's important to try and get that core of players tied down so we can really plan ahead," he said.

"I'm looking to get a good balance between the experienced lads and the promising youngsters. The back four is really settled and I would like to keep it that way, but we are looking right throughout the side.

"Smithy is happy with his contract, his representative will be at Saturday's game and hopefully it is just a case of signing on the dotted line. Once that is done I'll move onto the next one."

Ten-goal striker Matt Nolan is top of Taylor's wish list with Lynn's boss set for summer contract talks after Nolan rejected a double-your-money offer from Ryman Premier heavyweights AFC Wimbledon last week.

"He's really happy here," said Taylor. "I told him we would not stand in his way because they were offering a lot more money. We've agreed to sit down at the end of the season and discuss things further. Right now we don't need any distractions off the field.

"He just wants to play football after suffering with injuries for a couple of seasons. I think you can see he is enjoying it and likes the fact we allow him to play in the style he wants.

"Scoring twice at Tiverton last weekend was great because he had just gone a few matches without one and it might be the start of a nice run - it could've been even better because he hit the post twice as well."

Taylor needs Nolan and the rest of his squad to continue firing after Salisbury moved back to second spot with a midweek 3-1 win at Aylesbury.

The Whites now trail leaders Bath City by three points with two games in hand on their nearest challengers.

Bath travel to Wiltshire next Tuesday for a top-of-the-table shoot out with Salisbury heading to The Walks seven days later.

Taylor still believes Lynn's destiny remains in their own hands, pointing to the fact six of the club's eight remaining fixtures are at home - including a potential final day title decider against Bath.

"I've been saying it was in our hands with 10 games left," he said. "I haven't seen anything since to change my mind. If we take maximum points off Salisbury and Bath that will put us right in the thick of it."