BORO BOSS DAY STARTS TO FEEL HEAT OF BATTLE
HE’S faced promotions, relegations and even saved his club from the threat of his club going out of business, so surely there’s little left to faze Farnborough boss Spencer Day in football these days.
Except that is a tense play-off campaign it seems as even after a rollercoaster 10 years in charge of the Hampshire club, ice-cool Day himself admits to feeling the heat at times.
It took a last-gasp equaliser and dramatic extra-time winner to ensure Boro came from behind to squeeze past Met Police 2-1 in Tuesday night’s home semi-final.
And similar tension is expected at Hayes & Yeading SkyEx Community Stadium tomorrow afternoon where Day goes back to the scene of his biggest hammering of the season in search of retribution.
Boro were thumped 4-1 at Hayes in the battle of first-versus second back in November, courtesy of Paul Hughes’ side netting four goals in the opening 25 minutes.
A repeat performance here from Boro, simply isn’t fathomable.
“To be honest, I’m just relieved to be through to the final as I was dreading Tuesday night,” Day told The NLP.
“Right from the moment Met Police hit the crossbar after just 12 seconds I knew it was going to be one of those nights, and so it proved.
“In many ways, I was far more nervous about Tuesday night than I am for Monday. I don’t want the players to see that, but it’s true.
“I knew there was a hair’s breadth between the two sides on Tuesday but it was at home and it front of a large crowd so the pressure was very much on us.
“Hayes is different because the pressure is now on them. They haven’t scored 100 goals and conceded the fewest without being the best team in this league and it’s theirs to lose at their home ground.
“No disrespect to Taunton, it’s been an outrageous season where any of three or four teams could have ended up on 88 points and had we beaten them on Saturday the title would have been won on goal difference. Full credit to them, but I believe Hayes are the best team in the division.
“The 4-1 at their place in November is relevant in terms of Hayes having the same players, but irrelevant when you consider we have an all new back five.
“There was just one point separating us after a 42-game season so it will probably come down to the team that performs on the day.
“Whatever happens, this is not a one-season thing for us at Farnborough, we’ll be looking to push on next year and beyond.”