Flamingo Park, home of Cray Wanderers, hosts the Southern Counties East Football League Division One Cup Final between Lordswood and Tooting Bec.

To reach the final, the Lords had to win a penalty shoot-out to beat Lydd Town in the first round after a one-all draw, with their goal coming from Harvey Welford.

Bec started their campaign in the second round after starting with a bye. Nathan Freckleton scored the only goal in a one-nil win at Croydon while Lordswood defeated SE Dons four-two with their goals coming from Sam Wright, Tadiwanashe Nago, Nathaniel Murray, and Tom Davey.

Another penalty shoot out victory was necessary for the Lords to see off Halls AFC after a three apiece draw with Davey, Vinnie Medhurst, Artem Kuchkov on target. It was more straight forward for Tooting Bec who beat Bridon Ropes three-nil, courtesy of goals by Sonny Harnett-Balkwill, Antony Ogbanufe, and Benjie Robinson.

In the semi-finals Bec won two-one at Lewisham Borough. Joe Martin and Kai Udondem put them well in command and a goal by the hosts couldn’t derail them. Lordswood made the most of visitors Staplehurst Monarchs being reduced to ten men with Alfie Clark and Rameses Meseorisa both scoring late.

When the two teams met in the league, Lordswood took four points to the Bec’s one. The first game was in early August with the Lords winning two-one away. After a first half with no goals, Lenny Atherton put them ahead only for Ogbanufe to equalise. Nine minutes remained when Sam Bailey converted from the spot to give the visitors all three points.

Then, in the return match in December, Martin scored a penalty to put the Bec ahead with fourteen minutes remaining, however, Ethan Stewart ensured that the honours were shared with an equaliser four minutes later.

Looking purely on league placings, the Lords will start as favourites having finished fourth in the table while Tooting Bec were nearly thirty points behind in fourteenth place. However, the Lords’ play-off defeat to Rochester United might leave a hangover and, should they not be at their best, they may suffer further heartache.