League Two play-offs: The Collins brothers go head to head for Wembley spot

The last time Aaron and Lewis Collins played football competitively against each other, the match was abandoned after five minutes.

The issue? One team ran off the pitch crying.

The venue for the memorable match was the back garden of Rod and Claire Collins, Aaron and Lewis' parents.

The brothers have not faced each other since their back-garden grudge matches that only ever ended in a resounding win for Aaron, who is nearly four years older than Lewis.

This week the sibling rivalry is renewed, but the stakes are much, much higher.

Fans will return to sport in Wales for the first time in over a year as Lewis Collins' Newport County, who finished fifth in League Two, meet Aaron Collins' Forest Green in the first leg of the play-offs at Rodney Parade on Tuesday, 18 May (20:15 BST).

The return at Forest Green, who finished sixth, will be at the New Lawn on Sunday, 23 May (18:30 BST).

Two brothers. One spot at Wembley.

The Collins brothers decked out in Liverpool kits as youngsters

From the back garden to the play-offs

The League Two play-offs area far cry from those back-garden battles, but not a far distance as the brothers grew up just a couple of miles from Newport's Rodney Parade ground in Malpas.

Both came through the ranks at the Exiles to make it professionally, but there is no question who had the upper hand in the garden.

"If we ever played six-a-side, that wasn't so bad as luckily there were people around, but the worst was when we were playing in the garden when we were younger," 20-year old Newport midfielder Lewis recalls.

"I would be in after five minutes crying because I would be losing, so I think it was a lot worse back then! I think I complained to my mum every time we played.

"We always played the same game, on the patio between two gaps either side of the house. One side is literally the width of a person and the other side is where we keep the bins. Obviously I had the bin side, with a bigger side to shoot into, and Aaron had the small side. And he'd still beat me!"

Forest Green forward Aaron laughs at the memory but admits his victories came at a price, be it on the football pitch or the Monopoly board.

"He'd go moaning to mum, 'he's bigger than me, he's older than me, it's not fair,'" he recalls.

"I always got told off for being too hard on him, it was always my fault!"

Aaron Collins made his Newport debut as a substitute, replacing the injured Michael Flynn. Flynn is now the Newport manager.

Big Macs and teacher training college

The path to the play-offs, and indeed a professional career, was far from smooth for Aaron.

Released by Newport, he was working in McDonald's flipping burgers and exploring teacher training courses before now Exiles manager Michael Flynn recommended he be offered a professional contract.

"Everyone knows I was at McDonald's... I nearly knocked football on the head," he recalls.

The professional contract was the making of Collins as he made enough of an impact at Newport to earn a transfer to Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 2016.

He did not make the grade at Molineux, with seven loan spells at various clubs since, including all four teams in the League Two play-offs.

He signed permanently for Forest Green last summer and has scored 10 goals this season, including twice in the 3-0 win over Oldham that confirmed a play-off berth.

"The lads have been on at me in training because they know I'm from Newport and played for Newport but I've played for every club in the League Two play-offs," Aaron explains.

"They've been calling me 'League Two this and League Two that' because I've played for all four clubs but whenever you play against your old club you want to do well to prove them wrong.

"I am playing against my hometown club and I'm looking forward to it."

Lewis Collins and his brother Aaron were both coached by their father, Rod, when they played for Malpas' under-8s team.

'Aaron has inspired my whole career'

For younger brother Lewis, the pathway to the play-offs has been smoother.

He made his debut last season and has played 21 times this season, including nine league appearances since April. He heads into the play-offs as a first-choice striker alongside Padraig Amond for a Newport side who have enjoyed great success under Flynn.

And while Flynn has been a mentor for Lewis as he was for Aaron, there is no doubt big brother is the one who inspired Lewis' own aspirations.

"I was just in the Newport academy when Aaron made his debut for the first team, I was never really as into football as him until I was about 13," he remembers.

"Watching what Aaron was doing was a big inspiration to me. He's inspired my whole career.

"I want to do what he did, kick on and move up the leagues, and I want to do what he did when he got his chance and smash it."

Aaron and Lewis with parents Rod and Claire Collins

'At least we get to go to Wembley with one of them'

For the brothers' parents, this scenario is both a dream and a nightmare.

They will not support one child over the other, although in terms of allegiance it is worth reiterating that the family are from Newport.

The family banter began within 20 minutes of the League Two season finishing.

"Mum, she keeps saying 'I'm going to Wembley no matter what'," Aaron said.

"She's happy about that, she just doesn't know who it will be with.

"I Facetimed my mum and dad outside the ground at Oldham and said 'who would have thought it? We are playing each other in the semi-finals'.

"They were obviously ecstatic. I text Lewis as soon as I came off the call with my mum and dad.

"He gave me a call and we just said it's the first time we have played against each other and it is in the semi-final of the play-offs, it couldn't be a bigger game really.

"It will be emotional for mum and dad. I am happy for them. It is a nice moment for us, but for mum and dad it's nice to make them proud, that's what you want as kids."

Lewis agrees it will be an emotional day for his parents.

"I came off the pitch and the first thing I saw was a message from my mum saying 'I am drinking already', Lewis joked.

"She was more excited than either of us and my dad was probably exactly the same.

"Aaron and I spoke when I was on the bus on the way home and then I came home and we all saw each other and we were all a bit shocked I think, thinking it's the first time we will have played each other… and what a game it is to play each other in.

"Mum and dad I think are more nervous than anything. They will be able to come to both the games and I think that is the best thing for them. They will both be a nervous wreck."