Hersham came off second best in a promotion six-pointer at Old Tiffs on 6 April. The visitors struggled to really get going and although the game was goalless at half-time two second half strikes were enough to see Tiffs home.

Hersham’s walking wounded travelled to Old Tiffs in arguably the biggest game of their season thus far. Both sides were on 34 points with Hersham taking 3rd place (and the last promotion spot) on the back of having a better goal difference. That good goal difference was built largely on the back of an 8-0 hammering of Tiffs before Christmas. Let’s just say a repeat of that particular score was never on the cards.

For a start, Tiffs were clearly a much stronger outfit. They had legs in midfield, they had a zest all over the pitch and they had a couple of players up front who proved to be a real handful. Hersham, meanwhile, were struggling. Steve Reilly had managed to drum up a squad of 14, but with Chris Purdue at Wembley watching Manchester City and a number of others out injured or otherwise engaged the visitors were threadbare.

That became even more apparent when Geoff Stothert limped off after five minutes and Jay Mulcahy went lame at the end of the first half. Things were going from bad to worse.

Hersham nonetheless did well to take the strain in a first half that Tiffs controlled. And, as is always the way, Hersham eventually crafted the odd chance of their own. One in particular stood out. The home keeper and one of his own central defenders collided on the edge of the Tiffs’ box leaving Micky Page with the chance to slot the ball home. A Tiffs defender somehow scrambled it away.

Goalless though it was after 45 minutes, Steve Livey nonetheless changed things around. He had to. Hersham needed to something to kick start them in to action. But, no matter what Livey tried it didn’t seem to work. Once Tiffs took the lead Livey felt obliged to roll the dice once more; Martin Lawton went up front and did his very best to get in the way and cause chaos. It wasn’t the worst idea in the world and when Sabri hit the post and then fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box it became clear that all was not yet lost.

The goals, however, simply wouldn’t come. Hersham now find themselves out of the promotion places but with Double H in town next week they do at least have the chance to immediately bounce back. 2pm kick off at the Coronation Rec this coming Saturday.