Lincoln City loanee Rob Williams knows all about the twists and turns of a Blue Square Bet Premier relegation battle.

As Lincoln City, led by Steve Tilson, were plummeting towards non-league last season, Williams was suffering the drop with Altrincham to Blue Square Bet North.

With the Greater Manchaster club perhaps punching above their weight, relegation was no real surprise.

But it hurt the towering centre-back nevertheless and Williams is desperate to avoid the same fate with the Imps.

With the bottom four facing the drop into Blue Square's feeder divisions, few teams in the lower half of the table can rest easy.

And regardless of Saturday's result against Braintree at Sincil Bank, it could be months before the Imps can start to relax, Williams has warned.

"Three points would help us, but I wouldn't say it would give us breathing space," said Williams, who clinched a move to Telford in the aftermath of Altrincham's relegation.

"Last year (at Altrincham) I never felt there was any breathing space.

"You can win three games in a week, but if you then lose two you can find yourselves back down there.

"Even a draw can heap the pressure on if results go against you. Hopefully the results will go for us this weekend.

"We just want to get away from the bottom eight.

"If you can get up to mid-table, although you don't relax, you can start to push on."

It has been a season of comings and goings like no other at Sincil Bank, with manager David Holdsworth fighting two battles – one to secure points on the pitch, the other to slash the squad's crippling wage bill off it.

Having been one of the new arrivals himself, Williams understands the upheaval perfectly.

But he admits the sooner the Imps can field a settled team, the better.

"The team hasn't changed too much recently and, for me, it's good to have a consistent team," added Williams, who has partnered Josh Gowling in the heart of defence in the last three games.

"Obviously you have to rotate if you get injuries or suspensions. It's a squad game and everyone has to play their part.

"But as a defender, if you have a partnership, it's beneficial. It's the same if you've got two strikers playing together regularly.

"You need a solid spine and consistency comes from having that."

Having recruited forwards Jefferson Louis and Louis Almond this week, Holdsworth has the option to revert back to the system which secured four points against Gateshead and Southport.

Having lost at fellow relegation scrappers Kettering last weekend, victory over Braintree would be a vital shot in the arm for the Imps.

City successfully bounced back from their embarrassing FA Trophy exit at the hands of Carshalton by recovering from two goals down to secure a 3-3 draw at Gateshead.

"Passion and determination not to give up shone through there. We need to do the same again," declared Williams.

"After a poor result, the lads wanted to prove to the fans and to each other that no one is going to sit down and just take a beating."

It may have another season of turmoil at Sincil Bank, but Williams insists he is loving life with the Imps.

After picking up an injury in pre-season, his Telford career never took off and he was farmed back to Altrincham on loan before joining the Imps.

"I got injured during pre-season and missed the start of the season at Telford," he recalled.

"I was out for about eight weeks so that was disappointing. After coming back, I was playing catch-up.

"To get myself fit I went back to Altrincham on loan. I ended up doing a 93-day loan and got myself fit again.

"Then when I got back, because I'd been away for three months, it felt like I wasn't really involved much.

"As soon as I got the word about coming here on loan, I was really hoping it would come off.

"I've played the games I've been available for. It just feels great to be back playing."