Royals’ cup final warning: Beware of the wounded Stags
AFC Portchester have been warned to expect to face a fired-up Totton side in tonight’s Hampshire Senior Cup final.
Both clubs suffered Bank Holiday Monday defeats on home soil - the Royals losing in the Wessex League Cup final to Hamble and the
Stags beaten on penalties by Salisbury in the Southern League Premier South playoff final.
Portchester had previously lost to Shaftesbury in the Wessex League Premier Division play-off semi-final.
Totton keeper Josh Gould and striker Tony Lee both saw spot-kicks saved by Ryan Gosney in the shoot-out to send 2015/16 Wessex League champions Salisbury into the National League South.
Stags skipper Scott Rendell insists Portchester will face a wounded animal in the HSC final at Aldershot’s Recreation Ground.
“It hurts, that’s natural. (Penalties) is a flip of the coin, no-one goes up there and means to miss,” former Hawks striker Rendell told his club’s media.
“It’s a shame that 42 games in the season goes down to one kick of the ball, but that’s football.
“As much pain as we’re feeling now, we have to try and use that for next year. That could be the kick we need, to use that pain as they boys are absolutely devastated.
“We’ll be using that pain in every game we play and using it in a positive way.
“I’m so proud to be the leader of this group - that’s the overriding emotion, pure pride.
“This is the one we wanted, this is what you work all year for.”
He added: “Tonight, tomorrow, Wednesday, it’s still going to be brutally painful, but Thursday we have to go again, back in for training ready for the cup final on Friday.
“We will be winning that, because we will make sure of it - and that’s no disrespect to Portchester whatsoever.
“We will use this pain on Friday. Knowing how professional these boys are, I know what we will get from them on Friday night.
“It’s a valid competition that we’re in for a reason, we want to win it and that’s how we’re going to approach it.”
We’ll be using that pain in every game we play