IPSWICH Wanderers manager Glenn Read said he would rather they did not know so much about their opponents ahead of tonight’s LB Group Suffolk FA Senior Cup final against Whitton United.

Read admitted that the fact the two clubs, who are great rivals, know each other so well will make it a “cat and mouse” affair in the final at Portman Road, kick-off 7pm.

Wanderers secured a fourth-place finish in Division One of the Thurlow Nunn League – three places higher than Whitton – thanks to Saturday’s 1-0 win at home to March Town United in their final match before the showpiece occasion.

Read said: “A couple of the lads – Lee Smith and Nick Albins – have played in a Senior Cup final before, but for most of them it will be the biggest game they have been involved in.

“It will probably be the biggest game I have coached in, especially as I can’t see me going on forever.

“One or two of the younger players may go on to something better, but it will be the biggest game they have played in so far.

“We have told them to prepare themselves properly over the Bank Holiday weekend as it is a big pitch and will take a lot out of them.”

Because of the familiarity between the two teams, the Wanderers boss said: “We would rather we did not know so much about them – we were hoping we got drawn against Corton in the semi-finals as we didn’t know anything about them – but we will try to pick up on their strengths and weaknesses and they will do the same, so it will be cat and mouse.

“I would rather we concentrate on ourselves than our opponents, but we know we have got to get in and around players like Kevin Inglis and Tom Bradlaugh.

“Inglis can cause a lot of problems when he gets on the ball, so we will need to stop him from playing.”

Wanderers will be without Liam Bevis, who is cup-tied after being with Whitton earlier in the season, Camillo Douglas (suspended) and the injured Danny Allen.

“Danny has got problems with his shoulder. He reckoned it came out in last week’s game and went back in. He tried it out on Saturday but is not going to risk it, so Niall Francis comes into the squad.”

Wanderers will be meeting at Humber Doucy Lane and having a light training session at the nearby Ipswich Town Academy before eating at the club and then travelling to Portman Road.

For updates on tonight’s final follow @Nick_Garnham on Twitter from 6.30pm onwards