Hampton & Richmond Borough boss Alan Dowson says playing a slow tempo in pre-season will have his men flying come the Ryman Premier League’s opening day on August 8, writes Stuart Amos.

The Beavers lost to Tooting & Mitcham United on penalties in the Geoff Harvey Memorial Vase final at Corinthian Casuals on Sunday after the scores had finished 3-3.

Hampton had beaten the hosts with a deliberately conservative performance on the Saturday.

And the manager, who will take his men to Harrow Borough for their first league game of the campaign insisted that was exactly what he wanted.

“I’m happy enough with where we’re at, I’m not someone who demands players play at 100 miles an hour in the first half of pre-season,” he said.

“In fact I actively tell them not to. At 65 per cent is fine with three-and-a-half weeks to go. The message has been not to burn yourselves out.

“In nine of the past ten seasons in management I feel I have got off to a good start and I have always had the approach where we tackle things like this. I think this is the way to handle the summer.”

Hampton host Aldershot Town on Saturday.