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Tonbridge Angels manager Steve McKimm on Bostik Premier play-off final against Merstham

Tonbridge boss Steve McKimm has urged their fans to carry them to victory in the Bostik Premier play-off final.

Angels will move a step closer to promotion if they can defeat Merstham on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm).

A bumper four-figure crowd will pack into Longmead – and McKimm admits they have a role to play.

Tonbridge Angels manager Steve McKimm. Picture: David Couldridge
Tonbridge Angels manager Steve McKimm. Picture: David Couldridge

“Be loud, be proud and stick with us, whatever may happen,” urged Angels manager McKimm.

“The boys do need you. All this 12th man stuff they say is a myth but it’s not – they proved it on Thursday night.

“When we were against it, they really got behind their football club, behind their players and we gave them the result that they wanted.

“We’ve got to (go for it). I don’t believe any team at non-league level is good enough to just sit in there and catch teams on the counter attack because they’re going to make a mistake.

“We’ve just got to play our normal game and see how it goes.”

McKimm knows what to expect from Merstham.

Only goal difference separated the sides after 42 league games while Merstham knocked out Carshalton in the semi-finals – a side that won their last nine home league matches.

“Merstham isn’t going to be easy,” warned McKimm. “Hayden (Bird) has a very good side there and he does his homework.

“They’ve beaten a side that has got 30 points out of 33 at home (in Carshalton) and they are not going to be easy to play against. We’ve got to do our homework as we did against Haringey and what will be, will be.

“It’s a final and again it will come down to who can hold their nerve.

“All my players held their nerve in the second half against Haringey and we’ve got to do that again on Monday.

“It’s two contrasting sides. They get it down – not that we don’t play – but they like to pass it out from the back.

“We get it forward a bit quicker and get it into the final third to get crosses in.

“You’ve got to be in it to win it – and we’re in it.”

The winners will go through to a super play-off final match where the winners of that tie will earn promotion to National League South.

Read more: All the latest sports news in Kent

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