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Champions After Long Last


The 134 year wait for a trophy is over. Harrison Carnegie and Billy Bennett scored early and late at the Longmead Stadium in Tonbridge to complete Sevenoaks Town's memorable day after being crowned Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup champions.

Micky Collins' squad are the history makers with the club now on an equal footing with their sporting neighbours in the town who have won honours.

The victory followed the achievement of gaining their highest ever position in senior football and the best ever points tally - and 48 hours later more good news followed with Sevenoaks Town Council approving their financial support for the installation of the club's new 3G pitch at Greatness Park.

Heady days indeed for little old Sevenoaks Town FC following a weekend that everyone connected with the club should be very proud of.

Carnegie's third minute opener proved the perfect start and Town had enough chances to have settled the game inside a busy opening 15 minutes.

Conceding a trio of corners in the first couple of minutes handed Sheppey an early advantage but Town's first attack proved profitable - Kieron McCann's cross finding Carnegie who shot past keeper Dean Warford to fire Town in front.

Tom Ripley was inches away from a second minutes later with a powerful header over the bar, then McCann - an outlet for most of Town's early attacks cut inside before firing over the bar.

Ripley then produced a great challenge inside his own box to stop Sheppey, then minutes later saw another header touched onto the bar by Warford.

Sheppey grew into the game and former Tunbridge Wells striker Richard Atkins went close only to be ruled offside, before Rob French came off his line to punch clear close to half time.

Byron Walker was prominent in the early stages of the second half - Sheppey defender James Huggins did well to head back to Warford, under pressure from the Town striker, who then crept along the by-line - only for the the ball to elude Bennett's final touch.

Walker was then brought down by Rob Saunders, with Chris Edwards' free-kick seeing another Ripley header kept out by Warford.

Steve Camacho replaced Carnegie before Bennett's tenacious work in the box ended with a close-range finish for Town's second.

Jimmy Rogers got a run in place of Joe Bingham and Walker came close to a third five minutes from time, only to fire over the bar.

Minutes later Town were celebrating - a great day to end a fine season - let's hope it's the first of many.


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