CHESHAM United manager Andy Leese says there are no mental scars in the dressing room ahead of their home Southern League play-off semi-final next Tuesday.

The Generals aren't sure who they play yet, but their second place finish guarantees them a home tie.

However, they were chasing first until a hat-trick of league defeats over Easter brought their 13-game charge to a halt.

Leese said: "There is nothing wrong in the dressing room. There is a hint of disappointment, which is human nature, but if you asked the players realistically they'd tell you they knew they'd have to go up through the play-offs."

Chesham lost to Poole last Thursday before further defeats followed against Stourbridge and newly-crowned champions Hemel Hempstead.

Leese said: "It wasn't a great few days. The previous weekend we had the title in our hands and by Thursday night in Poole it was gone.

"Saturday we weren't quite right against Stourbridge and I'm sure the mental side of it accounted for some of the performance, but Monday was a difficult day. We were just invited to the party."

Despite that, Chesham rallied to win the Bucks Cup 1-0 against Beaconsfield on Wednesday night, but Leese insists they didn't need the victory to restore their equilibrium.

He said: "We'd been in the final for the last two years so I'm delighted to win it. But there was nothing wrong with our morale."