Horndean looking to chase down Shaftesbury on Wessex Premier final-day... AFC Portchester and US Portsmouth bring curtain down on their seasons

Horndean have third spot in their sights as they bring the curtain down on the Wessex League Premier season at home to Alresford.
Connor Duffin is the Wessex Premier's leading scorer with 40 goals this season Picture: Martyn WhiteConnor Duffin is the Wessex Premier's leading scorer with 40 goals this season Picture: Martyn White
Connor Duffin is the Wessex Premier's leading scorer with 40 goals this season Picture: Martyn White

But the Deans boss Michael Birmingham insisted his only concern will be on matters at Five Heads Park rather than results elsewhere on the final-day.

Fourth-placed Horndean require Shaftesbury to slip-up at home to Alton in their last action of the campaign if they are to have any hope of leapfrogging the Dorset side and end up third in the final table.

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Birmingham's side are two points worse off than Shaftesbury and the Horndean boss says his only issue is making sure his troops end the season on a high note with victory.

‘We know that's out of our control (finishing third). All we can do is just manage and influence what Horndean Football Club can do, like we have done all season,’ said Birmingham.

‘We don't worry about how results have gone, it doesn't matter, we just take it as though Shaftesbury are going to win and look ahead what we've got to do.

‘We've got one more game to come, we need maximum points to finish off on a high. We know Alresford are a tough side, we drew 0-0 with them in the first game of the season, it was a very tight game. It's going to be a real, real tough game on Saturday. They're young, they're honest, they're organised and they're very fit.’

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Heading into the final day, the Deans have the Wessex Premier's two leading scorers this term with Connor Duffin heading up the scoring figures in the division with 40 goals in 36 games while strike partner sits second having struck 34 times in 38 appearances.

n AFC Portchester end the Wessex Premier season at home to Portland on Saturday. The Royals are guaranteed a seventh-placed finish no matter what the result against their final-day opposition,

Meanwhile, US Portsmouth will be searching for a first Wessex Premier victory in 11 attempts when they travel to Bournemouth in their last game of the season.

Tom Grice's men have not won since beating Hythe & Dibden 2-1 at home on January 29 and have picked up three points in the 10 matches which have followed.

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