Dartford and Dover Athletic both look for an immediate return to the National League tomorrow when the two Kent heavyweights do battle at Princes Park for the last promotion place from the Isthmian League in the play-off Final.
And for Darts boss Ady Pennock, it also marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of him leading Gillingham to play-off glory on a wet Wembley afternoon against Wigan Athletic.
Ahead of this massive Kent derby, Pennock, who’s side edged a seven-goal thriller against Steve McKimm’s Cray Valley in the Semi’s, has been talking with KSN and told us, “We are all buzzing – it’s an incredible achievement. We’re all really looking forward to Monday.
“Wednesday was an excellent game of football – I have known Steve a long, long time and it was such a shame that there had to be a loser on the night, but that is football.
“I think both teams were a real credit to the League, it really was an excellent game. Our supporters were incredible, and it was a real shame that there was a loser, but we are obviously delighted to be going through.
“A tough game, an excellent game but that’s why we are all in football, to enjoy those types of games.
“The comeback from being two nil down to win like that is right up there in my career. I thought we played some really excellent football all game and we got punished for two set-plays for which they are very good at! But we have a never say die spirit; we are unbelievably fit and it’s a case of score more goals than them as they had ten men.
“We levelled with literally the last kick of the ninety minutes and honestly that doesn’t happen to us – I don’t think we’ve had any luck all season long and hopefully that luck will last into the Final.
“I thought that we should have had another penalty but the ref gave it as a free kick but fortunately for us it still went in to the top corner and we will take that all day long and obviously I don’t think Dartford have seen scenes like that for a very long time at the Club and it was amazing and great to be a part of it.
“Going through that twenty-five years after we beat Stoke and Wigan the way we did back then is unbelievable – let’s hope we get the same outcome on Monday that we got twenty-five years ago, it would be lovely!”