Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division floodlight football takes place in Eltham when Stansfeld host Rusthall this evening.

Hosts, Stansfeld, are in mid-table with sixteen points, while their visitors are on eleven points but have played one game fewer.

On Saturday, Stansfeld suffered the agony of an F.A. Vase knock-out on penalties. At home to Peacehaven and Telscombe, they went behind after fourteen minutes but levelled shortly into the second half through a goal scored by Dario Sesay-De Luca. There was no further scoring and the visitors won the shoot-out four-one.

Meanwhile, Rusthall were in league action winning at home for the first time in the league this season by defeating fourth placed Holmesdale two-nil. Kalani Barton put them ahead midway through the first half and Charlie Clover scored the second from the penalty spot just shy of the hour mark. That gave them two league wins out of two in October without conceding a goal.

Away from home, Rusthall have played six times winning two, drawing two and losing three. Their  victories came at Whitstable Town and Snodland Town. Stansfeld, on home turf, lost their first three matches in their new surroundings but have won all three since then, beating Hollands and Blair, Kennington and Whitstable.

In the league matches between the two teams last season, Rusthall enjoyed home and away victories. The first meeting in August 2023 was at the home of the Rustics and the hosts won three-one. Josh Stirman gave them a half time lead and goals from Valeriu Gurgurov and Jesse Hammond made the game safe. Oliver Wright’s late goal was no more than a consolation for Stansfeld.

When they met in the return game in November in Chislehurst, Freddie Cray put Stansfeld ahead on the stroke of half time. However Tarik Ibrahim levelled five minutes after the break and Ben Branch scored what turned out to be the winner ten minutes later.

Both teams have runs that they want to extend so something will have to give and it should be a competitive encounter.