Hambledon remain positive in promotion push

Hambledon skipper Will Bond has told his troops to stay positive in their crucial finale against Paultons at Ridge Meadow.

Victory over long-time Southern League division two table-toppers Trojans last week kept their hopes of promotion alive.

Bond has looked at the maths and insists the Dons can still overhaul second-placed Tichborne Park.

The hosts must first get the better of Paultons on home turf tomorrow.

And then attentions will turn to Tichborne, who welcome Trojans.

Bond said: ‘If we win and Tichborne lose then we have a good chance.

‘Our rivals have a difficult game at home against Trojans.

‘We are going into the final game in a positive frame of mind.

‘There is a feeling at the club that it is all still to play for.

‘If we can win well and the other results go our way, second place can still be ours.

‘We put in a really good performance to beat Trojans who have been top of the league for most of the summer.

‘It proves we deserve to be up where we are.

‘It is a pity we lost to Tichborne the week before.

‘I wasn’t there but by all accounts it was a close game that could have gone either way.