Met Police boss Jimmy Cooper is confident Hampton & Richmond Borough’s malaise will not last this season, but he would not mind if the Beavers’ shocking form continued until after the bank holiday.

The Blues welcome joint boss Paul Barry’s men to the Imber Court this afternoon on the back of 1-1 draw at VCD Athletic on Saturday.

Met Police are riding high in the early Ryman Premier Division table, while Hampton are sitting on the bottom of the table having started the campaign with five straight defeats.

The Beveree outfit crashed 4-0 at home to Grays Athletic on Saturday having lost 2-0 at at promotion candidates Maidstone United on Tuesday.

The one constant is that Charlie Moone has scored two of his side’s three goals thus far – with Ben Harris scoring the other on Tuesday – and Cooper fears his rivals may get it right sooner rather than later.

“Hampton are in a very false position at the moment,” said the Met Police manager.

“They have played the likes of Margate and Maidstone and done well, but the defeats to Witham Town and Wingate & Finchley will have disappointed their management team.

“I do not expect them to be down there for much longer. They should be up there with the players they have available to them.”