PETERSFIELD Town will be looking to book their place in the semi finals of the Portsmouth Senior Cup when they take on Locks Heath tonight (kick-off 7.15pm).

For the Rams it is a chance to get some welcome respite from their Southern League campaign and to end 2016 with a much needed victory.

Petersfield have lost their last three games in a row and they are likely to again use a mix of first team squad players and reserves, as they have done in previous rounds of this competition.

They will need the extra numbers after losing two strikers to injury during Saturday’s 6-0 defeat at the hands of Beaconsfield SYCOB.

Zach Nicholson-Pibworth is unlikely to play for the Rams again this season after dislocating his shoulder and damaging ligaments in an off the ball incident, while Matt Andrews hobbled out of the weekend match with an ankle problem.

Locks Heath will be no pushovers though as they currently sit in fourth position in the Hampshire Premier League table and will no doubt fancy their chances of claiming a famous scalp against a struggling Petersfield side.

For Petersfield chairman Graeme Moir, it’s a final 90 minutes to watch before the club can say farewell to a thoroughly miserable 2016.

“The last 12 months have been pretty much a write-off for this club, especially when you consider the achievements of the two years before that,” said Moir.

“Ever since the gales last New Year’s Eve ripped the stand roof off at the stadium things have not gone well for us on or off the pitch.

“To be honest I can’t wait for tonight’s game to be over. We don’t play again until January 2 and I will be completely switching off from football matters over the Christmas period so I can get some much needed rest and spend some time with my family and friends.

“This season has been a long old slog already so to not have any games now until we play Fleet is a welcome relief.

“We are looking to rest up at the club, recharge our batteries and then be ready to hit the ground running again with renewed enthusiasm when 2017 gets under way.

“It would be great to get through tonight’s game and book our place in the semi final – if we did reach a cup final this season that would be something to look forward to right at the end.

“But the league is what really matters to us and if losing tonight meant we would retain our Southern League place at the end of the season I would take that.”