Steven King reckons Whitehawk’s four-point haul against Boreham Wood will count for little today.

And he will point to events in their semi-final as proof as Hawks prepare for the biggest game in their history.

King’s men visit Hertfordshire in the Conference South play-off final with a place in the nation’s fifth tier up for grabs.

Hawks beat Ian Allinson’s men 3-0 at the Enclosed Ground on February 7 and impressed in a 2-2 draw in the return fixture two months ago.

But their 2-1 aggregate semi-final win over a Basingstoke side who had beaten them home and away – and in the FA Trophy – showed how results can be turned on their head at play-off time.

King said: “When we played Basingstoke in the semis everyone was talking about how they had beaten us 1-0, 1-0, 1-0.

“But, in my head, I wanted to play them in the semis.

“We didn’t deserve to lose any of those games and I heard that from other people, from their management, from neutrals.

“It was just a couple of mistakes that cost us but we battered them.

“I didn’t want to say it publically for them to hear but I felt we wanted them in the play-offs.

“I knew over the two legs we could beat them. As it turned out, we were the better team in both legs of the semi-final.

“I felt we created lots of chances against them in all three previous games and I felt we would get the win.

“My mindset was there was no way they could beat us again.

“We beat Boreham Wood 3-0 at our place but I don’t think that’s relevant. It’s a one-off game which we have got the capability within the squad to win if all the players are on form.”

King started talking about this season’s play-offs just minutes after Hawks avoided the drop at the end of 2013-14.

They drew 3-3 at home to Sutton and had to wait for results from elsewhere before securing their place.

After defeats in their first two games this term, they have forced their way into the top five thanks partly to a strong finale to the season.

Their one obvious blemish in the run-in was a 3-0 defeat at Ebbsfleet at Easter.

But, even then, King felt the signs were good.

“We battered them,” he reflects now. “It was the most one-sided game you would see.

“We had four one-on-ones, two goals disallowed, we hit the post, hit the bar.

“So even then I wasn’t worried because we were unbelievable that day. In fact it’s the best we have played.”

Technically Hawks are underdogs today, playing away to a side who finished two places and three points above them over the course of the season.

But King knows what it really means to be an underdog.

He was in charge of Conference outfit Macclesfield when they dumped Championship leaders Cardiff City (albeit fielding a much-changed team) out of the FA Cup before losing just 1-0 to eventual winners Wigan.

“This is completely different,” he said. “At Macclesfield we played a team from leagues above us. This is against a team from our league.

“It will be tough but we know the quality we have got.”