The gap between GFC and safety is currently two points, but the Met’s far superior goal difference favours them if they draw.
GFC’s fate has been out of their own hands for weeks, but manager Tony Vance emphasised that whatever the outcome, his players deserve credit for taking their survival fight to the final day of the campaign.
‘With all the troubles we’ve had this season, which are well documented, we’ve done very well,’ he said having just landed back in the island following Thursday night’s 2-0 win at Binfield.
‘We are on 39 points, which is five more than last season with one game still to go, so that’s an achievement in itself, but while there’s been an improvement, it shows it has been a tougher task this year.
‘I don’t know what’s going to happen. We could end up being two or three points shy and considering some of the games this season where we have dropped points late on, that would be frustrating, but to have taken it down to the last day and still be in with a chance has been a tremendous effort from the players.’
Vance expects a similar squad to travel to Harrow Borough to that which won on Thursday via a deflected Brandon Wallace strike and a Montgomery Brady own goal.
However, the swift turnaround caused by the original postponement of the Binfield game due to travel issues last weekend does the Green Lions no favours.
‘Binfield away is never a pretty game. The surface and the style of Binfield’s play always dictates that you have to adapt and the players did that really well. They did what we needed considering the circumstances, the conditions and the opposition,’ said Vance.
‘The players are tired. Harrow Borough is a winnable game, but obviously they are fresher than we are – we need a win and a huge slice of luck.’
The win over Binfield was also notable for a record-breaking appearance off the bench for Dave Merris as he became the club’s oldest player at 44 years, six months and 11 days, beating the age Matt Le Tissier was when he turned out for the Green Lions in 2013 by a single day.
‘Mez is just a freak of nature,’ Vance said.
‘Matt did us a favour when he turned out, Mez is still doing it week in, week out and I think if anyone beats that record it would be amazing because it’s a young man’s game now.’
All of today’s Isthmian South Central games kick off at 3pm.
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