There will be a new club in step four next season after Rusthall host Punjab United in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division play-off decider.

It will be club history for whoever wins promotion after both progressed through their first matches in midweek. Rusthall needed penalties to see off Larkfield and New Hythe after neither side was able to score in ninety minutes.

Meanwhile Punjab, who finished fifth in the table, stunned runners up Fisher with a deserved three-one win in Rotherhithe. Jack Hopkins put them on the way within the first ten minutes when heading his twenty-fifth goal of the season.

Zak Bryon added a second in first half stoppage time, however, Festos Kamara pulled one back eight minutes after the restart. Punjab held their nerve and scored again when Will Johnson-Cole rolled it into an empty net, and they saw out the last seventeen minutes without concern.

Both teams have shown themselves to be adapt at performing well in one off games through their cup activities. Punjab made it all the way to the semi-final of the FA Vase before being beaten by Cockfosters. Rusthall won the Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup when beating Bearsted four-nil in the final at Cray Wanderers’ Flamingo Park. 

Meetings during the regular league season would probably make the Rustics favourites. In the first game in Gravesend, hosts Punjab went one up midway through the first half, however, Jack Kirby levelled three minutes before half time. Although the home team were reduced to ten men in first half stoppage time, there were no further goals. 

They met again at the Jockey Farm Stadium in December when Rusthall made the most of their home advantage despite twice going behind. Roman Campbell put Punjab ahead in the second minute but Louie Clarke levelled twenty minutes later.

Wayne Bushell put the visitors back in front six minutes later but Clarke scored again before the break. Robbie Bissett gave the hosts the lead eleven minutes after the restart and Clarke completed his hat-trick in time added on.

Only two points separated the two teams in the league table at the end of the season, and each finished side finished the campaign in good form. The decider is all-ticket and a bumper crowd can be expected for a match with so much at stake. 

Picture supplied by James Barnes.