BILLERICAY Town under-21 manager Justin Gardner is determined to end the season with a trophy as his charges meet Leatherhead under-21s in the play-off final tomorrow.

Gardner, who was first-team assistant manager earlier in the season, is looking to help the club make it two trophies in two months, following the Ryman League Cup final victory last month.

Town also finished top of the Ryman under-21 northern section last year before losing in the final, but Gardner is only thinking about victory this time around.

“Any trophy is a trophy and, having won the Ryman League Cup, two trophies in four months would be good,” said Gardner.

“The plan is to win and we will have a strong XI. We welcome back Jas Johnson and he has been injured recently.

“We lost our final two games of the season 2-1 but that was down to unavailability as much as anything else.

“I will be able to use three players from the first-team and they will have an important role to play.

“But we will be ready and are all looking forward to the game. We will train today and prepare in the best possible way.

“The team has worked hard to get into this position and we now want to finish it off by winning the trophy.”

Town finished seven points clear of Witham Town in the North Division, losing just five of 24 matches.

Although they play a Leatherhead side that dominated the South Division to an even bigger degree - the Tanners youngsters losing just three of 26 matches.

And Gardner expects the challenge to be significant.

“I have not seen them but they have a very good academy,” he said.

“(Striker) Kiernan Hughes-Mason was there and they have won their league so I am expecting a tough game.

“(Owner) Glenn (Tamplin) wants me to produce two first-team players a season and the long-term goal is to produce more.”

The match will be held at Aveley’s Mill Field ground, which will be demolished this summer.

Gardner, Aveley’s most successful manager, said it will be a strange feeling to stand on the touchline one final time.

“A final game on that touchline will be strange,” he said.

“It is crazy how these things turn out but it will be good as well and getting a trophy would be a fitting ending.”