HAMPTON & RICHMOND will be written off as nearly men ahead next season, Lawrence Yaku claimed this week - and that suits him just fine.

The Beavers' striker claims he's got over the disappointment of last month's Blue Square South play-off final defeat against Hayes & Yeading, the second successive season Alan Devonshire's men have fallen at the final hurdle.

Even so, it's a record which would have most clubs touted as promotion favourites the following season. But Yaku insists Hampton, already the club opposing fans love to hate, will continue to be seen as underdogs - and it will motivate them for another promotion push.

He said: "I'll be really surprised if anybody makes us favourites. Most people will label us 'as always the bridesmaid and never the bride', bound to fall at the final hurdle. Regardless of our achievements, no one will give us our dues.

"We'll carry the underdog tag until we finally get out of this division, but that's something which motivates us as a squad."

But the veteran front-man added: "We need to start better than last year, when we were slow out of the blocks and left ourselves with catching up to do.

"We need to be more consistent next season. The big games take care of themselves, but sometimes we let our guard down against the so-called 'lesser teams'."