Clarets to treat game like the play-offs

GLENN Pennyfather has stated Chelmsford City will take their final game of the campaign as seriously as and other as Weston-super-Mare pay a visit to Melbourne for the season's finale today.

With a place in the Blue Square South play-offs all but secured, as only a freak scenario could see City finish outside the top five, Jeff King's assistant intends to give Weston the respect they deserve.

He said: “We will play as strong a side as we can, although we have quite a few injured and suspended. The idea is that we can get everyone fit so we can end the season with a flourish as everyone wants to stake their claim to be involved in the play-off games.”

However, the squad the Clarets management team have available to them will be severely hampered with absentees. Ricky Holmes will be suspended for the game after his dismissal against Hampton & Richmond Borough, while there are injury doubts over Spencer Knight and Andy Duncan, while Dave Rainford and Ollie Berquez are almost certainly out of action.

Chelmsford are still unsure who they could face at Melbourne on Tuesday night for the first of a two-legged play-off semi-final, but Pennyfather remains unconcerned.

He said: “Ideally, in a perfect world, we would know who we're playing on Tuesday but we know we'll have to play a strong team so we'll prepare for that. We will treat the Weston game like a play-off match so we can hit the ground running as you can't just turn form on and off.”

After the match the Player of the Year Awards will take place in the clubhouse, while there will also be the unique opportunity for supporters to bid for the shirts off the players' backs. Each of the shirts worn during the Weston game will be signed by the player concerned and put up for auction in the clubhouse to raise funds for the club.