FLACKWELL Heath have taken the pyschological edge ahead of a potential Reading Senior Cup Final against Marlow United.

The local rivals are in opposite semi-finals and on course for a head-on collision at the Madejski Stadium.

However, the Heathens will feel they hold all the aces after completing a league double over United on Easter Monday.

Jack Harding, Ben Sturgess and Leigh Thompson scored in a 3-1 victory that consolidated their top-six position in the Hellenic League.

Back in February Flackwell also won the home fixture 2-0.

Manager Matt Flint said: “I’d love to play them in the final and I think there is a fair chance it will happen. It’s looming.”

It would be a meeting of familiar faces.

Flint used to play for Marlow United, and actually went to the Reading Senior Cup Final in their colours.

He also was assistant manager there and on Monday it was his cousin, James Flint, who scored the consolation for Marlow after defecting from Flackwell earlier in the season.

Flint the manager said: “He left because he was on the fringes here and wanted to play regularly.

“To be fair to him it was a cracking goal he scored against us – I kicked his backside in the bar afterwards.”

The links don’t stop there though. Flint and Marlow manager Kevin Carvell would be in opposite dug-outs at the Madejski, but in professional life they are actually partners.

The pair own and run a building company together.

Flint said: “There is a lot of rivalry there. It’s very competitive but we’ve beaten them home and away so we’ve got the bragging rights.

“It’s one of those you don’t want to lose – but saying that I wouldn’t give up our two league wins over them for the cup.”