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Hungerford seek final play off push

Hungerford seek final play off push

User 5128029 Mar 2012 - 13:55
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HUNGERFORD TOWN manager Bobby Wilkinson is calling for “one last push”....

...as his side goes into a crunch game with rival contenders Gosport Borough with a confirmed promotion play-off spot on the near horizon.

“It would be good if we could get a big crowd along,” said Wilkinson, whose club has one of the lower average attendances in the league, albeit with one of the smallest catchment areas.

“This is a massive game for us,” he said. “If we can win and other results go for us, we could just about be there and it would leave Gosport trailing us.”

One player likely to have a say in that is veteran striker Steve Claridge. The 45-year old much-travelled forward and now media pundit, has added his know-how to Borough’s cause this season, weighing in with a handful of goals while helping to prove ammunition for prolific marksman Justin Bennett.

Bennett had netted 36 goals this term, but Wilkinson backs his own top scorer Mark Draycott to play his part on Saturday.

“I think we’ve got the best striker in the league in Mark,” said Wilkinson, “and I wouldn’t put it past him to go out and score a hat-trick on Saturday.”

Wilkinson was not disappointed in last week’s losing blank at Mangotsfield, but is putting that one back in the bottom drawer. “We can’t worry about what happened last week any more,” said Wilkinson, “it about what we do from now on.

“To be honest, I’ve been a bit tough on the players recently, but the fact is that they’ve been fantastic all season.

“We are coming under pressure now, because people are expecting more of us. But we set out to get into the play-offs this season and we are that close.

“All we need now is that final push.”

Hungerford will have to start that push without Luke Hopper, who suffered a recurrence of the injury that has sidelined him recently when bowing out at half-time at Mantgotsfield.

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