Leamington FC: Holleran wants to take play-off push to the wire

Having taken four points from their games at Frome on Saturday and at home to Barwell on Monday, Leamington are now six points behind fourth placed AFC Totton and fifth placed Cambridge City and have a vastly inferior goal difference.

But with three games left to play and nine points left to play for, Brakes could still sneak into the top-five if things go wrong for these sides.

“Cambridge and Totton have stepped up to the plate and it’s out of our hands now,” said Holleran.

“But we have to try to win our last three games and if somebody does slip up I’d like to think we can take advantage.

“We need to put some pressure on them and then maybe it could go to the last two games or even the last game.”

Having been in the promotion chasing pack before Christmas, a dismal run of form put paid to Brakes’ ambitions of automatic promotion and seems to have also scuppered their chances of a top-five finish.

Holleran admitted this is the reason why he is feeling disappointed Brakes aren’t in a position to be looking forward to the play-offs.

“The run after Christmas when we didn’t win for 11 games really killed us but the lads have shown a lot of character to bounce back and a lot of the players who have come in have helped us and it’s not all doom and gloom.

We just need to concentrate on the last few games and maybe we can get fifth.

“I’m not saying we necessarily deserve it but the worst case scenario would be if Cambridge lose and we miss that opportunity.”

Brakes face relegation-threatened Hemel Hempstead Town at the New Windmill on Saturday (ko 3pm ) before travelling to struggling Banbury next weekend.

Their final league match is at home to Chesham United, who are pushing for promotion.

The return of winger James Husband will give Leamington a boost for the run-in while Matty Dodds and teenage striker Jacob Blyth look likely to return from injury in the next few games.