JUSTIN Gardner, the Millers boss, is in confident mood ahead of his side’s play-off semi-final clash with Maldon & Tiptree tonight.

He said his side looked back to their best going forward against Soham Town Rangers on Saturday and will be urging his players to “seize the opportunity” against an off-colour Maldon.

Millers had already booked their play-off spot with victory over Redbridge on Monday night but drew 3-3 against Soham on Saturday, conceding a last minute penalty.

Witham Town, who finished fourth, drew 2-2 with Potters Bar Town, meaning Millers finished fifth, setting up a mouth-watering tie away to second-placed Maldon.

The game certainly won’t be easy for Gardner’s team and they will need to return to their scintillating best to win at Park Drive.

After a magnificent run earlier in the season that propelled Millers into the top three, they have won just three in their last ten.

The goals have dried up a little for Jordan Cox, the Braintree Town loanee. He has notched 25 league goals this season but has just one in his last six.

Alex Read, signed from Brentwood in March is in form though. He bagged two against Soham and has four goals in his last five games.

But coming by goals has rarely been a problem for Millers. Often on the counter-attack and playing at break-neck speed, they have scored 92 league goals this season.

Terry Spillane’s side have gone the entire league campaign unbeaten at home, at feat that no other side across the three Ryman divisions has matched.

They have also scored 101 goals, more than any other Ryman league side. James Robinson and Jamie Guy, Blues potent attacking pairing, have bagged 41 league goals between them.

But like Aveley, their end-of-season form has been very mixed. Maldon have won just four games in their last ten and in January, they sat 15 points clear at the top of the Ryman Division One North, only to have been ruthlessly hunted down by Grays Athletic, who overtook them before winning the division by 13 points.

Despite the challenge that lies ahead in north Essex tonight, Gardner believes his side will win if they play at their best. At their best, they’ve been too hot to handle for almost anyone in the division.

Gardner said: “We’re going to try and win the game but we are underdogs.

“Maldon finished second so the league table says they’re the better side and we’re going to respect them. They’re unbeaten at home and we can’t compete when finances come into play, but I believe my first 11 is better than their first 11.

“Both times we’ve played them this season we’ve felt we should have won.”

Both league meetings between the sides this year have ended in draws. In August, the season opener at Millfield ended 2-2, with Junior Dadson and Paul Burnett getting on the scoresheet.

In March, the game at Park Drive ended 0-0. On this basis and given the recent form of the two sides, extra-time could well be on the cards.

Gardner added: “Our form’s not been good for the last six or seven weeks, we’ve won a few games but been up and down. But you could say the same for Maldon.

“The boys are feeling confident. We’ve been preparing for a few weeks and the lads have been putting in a shift. Everyone has worked hard behind the scenes. If we turn up and play our best, we’ll win.

“I’ll be telling the players to take the opportunity. You might not get it again. I’m taking 19 players tomorrow and 17 have not experienced a play-off before, so I want them to seize this chance.

“I want to be a Ryman Premier League manager next year and I want this team and theses players to be in the Ryman Premier League.”