The Hoops will play for a place in the Vanarama National League South play-off final on Sunday afternoon, after Jenkins’ men secured a third-place finish last weekend.

City’s opponents, Worthing, saw off Braintree Town in an eliminator fixture on Wednesday night.

Looking ahead to the weekend’s clash with the Rebels, Jenkins said, “It’s going to be a difficult game. Worthing are a very good team, we’ve played them twice now, we played really well at their place but didn’t get a win, and at home I thought we were really good, and won 3-0. We’ve got good previous against them, so it’s important we take those positives.”

“But play-off games are play-off games and anything can happen,” Jenkins said, “We’ve just got to make sure we turn up mentally and physically and give it a good go.”

The Hoops only discovered their opponents late on Wednesday evening, when Worthing secured a 2-1 home victory over Braintree, but the City boss insists the short turnaround hasn’t affected his team’s preparation,

“I wouldn’t say it has affected it. We’ve had focus on both teams, we split our focus on Braintree and Worthing over the last few days. But last night gave us a better idea of who we’re playing. It was a tough game [between Worthing and Braintree], a lot of people were there.”

“We can’t take Worthing lightly,” the manager said. “In terms of our prep, we’ve prepped quite well, we’ve done all the prep we can. But as much prep as you can do, I think it just goes out the window if you don’t turn up.”

Asked whether his side might benefit as a result of Worthing playing midweek, Jenkins said, “That’s for Worthing to manage, that’s their problem. We’re fully focused on what we’re doing. I don’t know [if there is an advantage], it’s a strange world with play-offs, it’s knockout competition.”

“The application this week has been brilliant,” Jenkins added. “The boys are keen and ready. And I think it will be a good display, so hopefully we can put on a good performance for the fans because they’ve been travelling up and down the country all season for us. We wanted the home tie and we’ve got it, so we’ve got to put on a show now.”

“I think naturally we have got quite a calm group,” said Jenkins of his squad. “We’re very level-headed in our changing room, and that’s a credit to the senior boys because they set that tone, the likes of Josh Ashby, Reece Fleet, Alfie Potter, Josh Parker, Canice Carroll. We’ve got calmness in our group because we’re confident in our ability.”

Looking back on another completed VNLS league campaign, Jenkins admitted, “It’s a weird feeling because I think the season’s gone very quickly. We sort of reflect back and think, ‘Where have all those games gone?’ It’s a good thing that where we are is a position we wanted at the start of the season.”

“We had a plan to finish in a better position than last season,” he said. “So we’ve ticked that box. I think overall our performances have probably been better. I think the new boys that have come in have applied themselves brilliantly throughout the whole season.”

“We could’ve gone for that second position, but progression was the main word that we used in pre-season, and we’ve certainly done that on and off the pitch. I think we’re in a good place.”

“To be in this position right now, as a football club, I think we’ve come on leaps and bounds. Obviously last season we had to play that first game before we got to this stage, and it took a lot out of us. We’ve had that week to prepare, plan and rest, so we’ve got no excuses on that front.”

“We’ve tried to progress every year. I think we’ve done that in a steady manner, without doing what some teams can do, and that’s throw loads of money at things and do things overnight. We’ve gradually started chipping away at the things we can control,” said Jenkins, proud of the journey that his club have been on over the last few years.

“It’s been a big achievement so far, and I say so far because the journey might continue, and we want it to. The thing I’m trying to highlight the most is our performance, and if we look after that, we will be fine.

Finally, on the prospect of winning promotion to the National League, the City boss said, “For our boys to achieve that, to stick together and grind it out as a team, it would be the best feeling.”