After seeing their treble hopes dashed with a heart-breaking 2-1 extra-time Herts Intermediate Cup final defeat to London Colney Reserves this week, Bedmond Sports and Social Club boss Ash Purser has set his sights on completing the double instead.

But his team will have to contend with a fixture pile-up that would send professional club managers and players at Football League clubs running for the hills as they have 11 games to cram in during the final three-and-a-half weeks of the campaign.

He said: “It’s a ridiculous schedule but we cannot moan too much, it comes with being successful in the cups and we are not the only team suffering.”

His side are in pole position to win Herts Senior County Division One where they are sitting pretty with a 100 per cent record at the top and they are through to the final of the Aubrey Cup on May 2 as well where they will face Belstone.

Purser said: “One month ago we were unbeaten in all competitions and we have gone from going for the quadruple, to going for the treble and now the double.

“It would mean everything to get the double. That was the target at the start of the season and it would be fantastic.”

But he admitted there is also some disappointment at the thought of what might have been.

He said: “It’s a massive disappointment for us because we played well and came up against a goalkeeper who was in inspired form. They had two shots and scored two goals and that is the only statistic that matters. The footballing Ggods weren’t smiling on us.”

Prior to Tuesday night’s final disappointment, Bedmond had reached the Aubrey Cup final with a 2-0 victory over a Hadley Wood and Wingate side who are currently second in the Premier Division.

A successful top-flight title defence may prove beyond Belstone, but they joined Bedmond in the final after defeating current Premier Division leaders Standon and Puckeridge 3-1.

The Radlett club were also in action on Tuesday night and came away from Hatfield Social with a 2-1 win.

Sarratt also tasted victory in midweek as they beat village neighbours Chipperfield Corinthians 4-2 on Wednesday to follow up Saturday’s 4-0 win at Buntingford Town.

Chipperfield’s defeat completed a disappointing week as they also lost 3-0 at home to London Lions on Saturday.

Evergreen drew 0-0 with Bushey Sports Club on Tuesday after the two sides had experienced contrasting fortunes at the weekend; Evergreen losing 2-1 at home to Bovingdon, while Bushey beat the top-flight’s bottom side Old Parmiterians 3-0.