Stonebridge Road will be packed today as Ebbsfleet take on Maidstone for a place in the National League.

A capacity crowd of 3,800 is expected for the winner-takes-all play-off final between two of Kent’s biggest clubs.

Fleet are looking to end a three-year stay in the division and take a step closer to the Football League under their ambitious Kuwaiti owners.

Stones last played in the National League – then known as the Conference – in 1989.

Boss Jay Saunders was a boy on the terraces back then and knows only too well what’s at stake in the most important game of his five years in charge.

“You don’t have to motivate players for a game like this. These are the ones you want to be involved in"- Jay Saunders

He said: “We’ve had the FA Cup games and winning the Ryman League but this is the biggest game, knowing you’re 90 minutes away from going into the highest level in
non-league football.

“You don’t have to motivate players for a game like this. These are the ones you want to be involved in."

Big-spending Ebbsfleet finished runners-up in National League South, seven points clear of third-placed Stones.

Ebbsfleet boss Daryl McMahon said: "There’s a lot riding on the game but you’ve got to take that away from the players.

"It doesn’t matter to me that it’s Maidstone. The aim was to win promotion when we came back on July 1 and now we’re one game away from it.

"You win, you get everything, you lose, you get nothing. It’s as simple as that. They’re great games. You’ve got to go into it positive and make good decisions.

"It will be a fantastic game. Both sets of fans will be noisy and it’s two good teams. It’s probably the final that everyone wanted and we’re looking forward to it."

Kick-off is at 3pm and the game is all-ticket.