Floodlight football takes place in Gravesend when Punjab United host Stansfeld in a Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division match on Tuesday evening.

At present, Punjab are in eighth place in the league table, just three points outside the play off places. Stansfeld are finding things tougher as they are in penultimate place in the table, eight points adrift of safety, although they do have three games in hand. 

On Saturday, Chipie Sian’s Punjab team hosted Bearsted in the Go Cardless Kent Senior Trophy and secured a thrilling late, late victory. They fell behind to a Billy Lewins’ goal in the tenth minute and didn’t equalise until Roman Campbell scored with four minutes remaining. They weren’t prepared to settle for a penalty shoot-out though, and full back Ryan Gill’s goal in the third minute of stoppage time saw them through to the semi-finals.

Cup football has given their supporters a lot of excitement this season as they have reached the FA Vase fifth round for the first time in their history and will host Fisher in an all SCEFL clash. Holders Whitstable Town are the only other club from the league that still remain in the tournament.

There was also late drama when Stansfeld hosted Tunbridge Wells in a league game on Saturday. The home team went ahead four minutes before half time, however, Regan Corke equalised immediately after the restart. Muiz Alaka then put Wells ahead only for Macey Malyon to restore parity with twenty minutes remaining. Neither side was prepared to settle for a point and Christian Lawal won it for the visitors with a last minute decider. 

When Stansfeld hosted Punjab back in August, there was no indication of how the season would pan out. Campbell and Danny Parish gave the visitors a two goal lead but Jack Calvert pulled one back in first half stoppage time.

Thee goals in nine minutes just after the hour mark put Stansfeld in command with Rob Hughes notching a brace either side of an Adam Wallis goal. Chris Alhassan rounded it off for the Eltham based club with the team’s fifth goal in time added on.

After the cup excitement experienced by his team, Sian will want to ensure that they settle back down to concentrate on their push for the play-offs. Stansfeld manager, Billy Shinners, will have other ideas, though, and will be looking for his side to complete the double to give them a safety lifeline.