Two teams who have been battling it out all season face off again tonight.

Nailsworth Town and Brockworth Albion 3rds have been neck-and-neck in Division Six of the Stroud League over the past seven-and-a-half months and tonight’s final of the Gloucestershire FA County Primary Cup (North) at Bishop’s Cleeve is sure to be very keenly contested.

There really is nothing between the two teams. Nailsworth hold a one-point advantage at the top of Division Six but they have played a game more than their nearest rivals, while they’ve each beaten the other once in the league.

“It’s a big game,” said Brockworth chairman David Evans. “We’re first and second in the league and we’re meeting in the cup final, it’s been a good season for both of us.

“On current form I think we might just have the edge, we beat them more recently.

“We’re quietly confident but you never know what’s going to happen in a cup final.”

Nailsworth are in their first season and chairman David Frost, who is also the club’s secretary, is understandably delighted with the way things are going.

“It’s brilliant,” he said. “We’re very excited, the last few weeks we’ve had a bit of a downturn but we’ve almost clinched promotion.”

So how does he see tonight’s final?

“I think it’s 50/50,” he said. “I don’t think there’s a favourite or underdog. This cup final is the icing on the cake for us. Winning promotion would be amazing but to win the County Cup as well…”

Brockworth Albion Football Club have enjoyed a fine season with their flagship team top of Northern Senior League Division One while their reserves are in the top half in Division One of the Cheltenham League.

Nailsworth, meanwhile, climbed back to the top of the table at the weekend because Brockworth 3rds were involved in a League Cup semi-final at Tetbury Town Reserves.

That match ended 1-1, but the Division Five side went through in a penalty shootout, winning 3-0.

At the same time, Nailsworth were claiming their 14^th league win of the campaign with a 3-2 home success over fourth-placed Mavericks, thanks to a last-minute goal.

Mavericks, who are in their first season in the league, lost 3-1 at Brockworth Albion 3rds last month and their manager Glyn Tandy, looking ahead to the cup final, said: “They’re both good sides, there’s not a lot to choose between them.

“If I had to pick a side I’d go for Brockworth, they’re stronger and a bit more physical.”

Brcokworth beat Nailsworth 4-1 at home in February, with that success coming three-and-a-half months after Nailsworth had beaten Brockworth 4-3 in the reverse fixture and Tandy added: “It’s all to play for, they’ve both got some good players.”

Frost is hoping that Saturday’s last-minute winner against Mavericks is a good sign ahead of tonight’s showdown.

“It was scored by centre-back Jake Green, it was his first start of the season,” Frost said. “He got on the end of a corner, hopefully that will give the lads a bit of a boost.”

Tandy, meanwhile, is delighted with the progress made by Mavericks this season.

“We’re a young side with a couple of old heads in Stu Lane and Simon Tandy,” he said. “I think we’ll make the play-offs.

“If we do go up we’ve got enough players to run two sides next season.”

Simon Tandy is 66-year-old Glyn’s son and Glyn’s grandson Jack Parker is also part of the team.”

Glyn Tandy was at Ramblers for more than 45 years before setting up Mavericks and he said: “I’m the secretary as well as the manager, I’m enjoying it.”

Other results:
Gloucestershire FA County Intermediate Cup (North) final: Dursley Town Reserves 3 Cam Bulldogs 2
Gloucestershire FA County Minor Cup (North) final: Down Ampney 2 Stratton Utd 0