Kyle Lightbourne refuses to count his chickens and will field a full-strength Robin Hood team on Sunday when they play Ireland Island Rangers needing a point to clinch promotion from the First Division.

Temptation to rest players abounds with an FA Cup semi-final coming up against Dandy Town, the Premier Division leaders, seven days later, but the Hood coach will instead tempt fate, especially given the freak injury that has cost him his main striker for the past three weeks.

In the absence of Jessie Kirkland, who suffered a shoulder injury in the 1-1 draw with Devonshire Colts on February 23, Hood have endured an impotency in front of goal that Lightbourne is desperate to cure.

It may help that Kirkland is expected to be back for the cup match, but in the interim it would do Lightbourne a world of good if Hood can match or improve on the 3-1 defeat they inflicted on Rangers in their corresponding league fixture.

“We won’t be resting any players for the FA Cup semi-final, we will go out with a full-strength team on Sunday,” Lightbourne said. “Over the course of the season, players have come in and out of the team, but we have the full complement of players ready.

“The last few games, we haven’t played with a real striker and it shows as we haven’t scored, but in that regard we haven’t conceded either so that’s a credit to the team.”

Lightbourne also hailed his side’s commitment and dedication as they have lost only one league match all season, to St George’s Colts, on their way to clinching likely promotion.

With their draw on Saturday night against BAA Wanderers, Hood have the inside track. Barring an improbable double-digit defeat by Rangers at Malabar Field, and victory for third-placed Devonshire Colts over St George’s at Wellington Oval, Hood will be back in the top flight.

The league title will also be decided on Sunday, with Hood and St George’s level on points and Devonshire Colts a further three points back.

Lightbourne is pleased to have the team’s main goal all but wrapped up. “The season has been pretty good overall,” he said. “The guys have been committed to what we wanted them to do and, in the end, promotion is their reward.

“We have stumbled to the line in recent weeks, but we have lost only one game all season and that says a lot, regardless of what league you are in.”

The race for promotion was nip and tuck for the entire season, with the leaders having no more than a three-point advantage throughout. Hood, to their credit, never let the tension of the situation get the better of them in the second half of the season, propped up by a stingy defence. They have conceded only six goals in eight games in 2014 and have the best goal difference of the promotion chasers.

“When you look at the whole season, at the halfway point we were only two points ahead of the two clubs, and I told the guys that we have to win every match to go up,” Lightbourne said.

“The promotion was always going to be close. You get to win and then see the other sides are also on a good run just like you. It brings your mental focus into the scenario and we had what was needed to succeed.

“You have to keep your nerves in situations like that because the three sides are equally balanced and you must make the most out of your opportunities when they come. Any one of the three deserve to win the league or even promotion if they can’t hoist the trophy.”