E-mail Article Print this story

Alan Devonshire

Related Links

Hampton & Richmond v Hayes & Yeading

Hampton & Richmond Borough will be hoping to make up for last season's heartache when they host Hayes & Yeading on Thursday evening in the Blue Square South play-off final.

The Beavers went down to Eastbourne Borough at the same stage last season despite dominating much of the game and boss Alan Devonshire is determined not to let the same thing happen this time out.

But the Hampton mentor feels that home ground advantage at the Beveree will count for nothing.

He told the told the Hounslow Chronicle: "The home advantage won't make any difference at all as far as I'm concerned.

"When the play-offs began, you had four good teams all capable of beating each other in any given game, and it will be the same for the two teams in the final.

"The play-offs are always a bit of a lottery, so there is no advantage."

Hampton defender Marcello Fernandes did not share the same sentiments, however, stating that they would relish playing in front of a home crowd in the final.

He said: "It will make a bit of a difference. Both teams are strong at home, but we're the ones who'll be playing there.

"You only have to look at our record at Beveree to see that nobody will fancy coming here."

The Beavers will welcome Ian Hodges back from suspension for the fixture, with Keiran Knight set to be relegated to the bench despite an impressive display against Chelmsford last time out.

Meanwhile, Hayes & Yeading boss Garry Haylock has urged his players to treat the tie as they would any other game and not to get carried away by what was going on around them.

He said: "We need to approach the game as we always do which is to try and treat it as an individual game.

"Forget about what has happened in the past and forget about what is to come and just work on this game.

"We have the ability to go up and again. We will have to go up a notch in mental strength and physical strength and we really looking forward to it if it happens.

"You just have to focus on the game at hand and not get caught up in anything else that is going on around it.

"Focus on doing your job and maybe helping the guy alongside you a little bit and we should be okay."