For the final game of the season, the Sevens might have already had the league mathematically in the bag, but this wasn’t about to mean that they were looking to take it easy, oh no. Whilst a draw would enough, a win would cement their position as League 8 winners. And on home turf, pitch one in front of a packed gallery… well, this was the moment to illustrate why they’re the club’s favourite team. And their away game against their opposition had been a hard-fought game, with only the goal-scoring heroics of skipper Kennedy ensuring that all three points had been taken then.

With a packed squad and bench, only missing the dark-haired oily locks of the Fronz, away up north on wedding duty, the Sevens were fielding a full-strength team for their final showing of the season. And, as they lined up on a bright spring Saturday, optimism was in the air as the whistle blew and the game began.

As with so many games, the Sevens started brightly, fizzing the ball about the pitch and taking the game to their opponents. Great work from the veteran Woody Shaw, some electric early work from the halves of Vernon Tumble and Luce Cannon ensured that the mids and forwards were quickly probing the visitors’ defence, looking for an opening.

And it wasn’t long before those defences were breached. Although Matt Mjölnir was being closely marked by the defence, his harrying of the back line along with the weaving-stick antics of Matt Messy soon generated a short corner that the pair teamed up to expertly coordinate and despatch to the inevitable resounding thud of the backboard: 1-0.

With Folkestone’s back line relatively untroubled, the majority of the play saw the Sevens marauding the visitors half and one such foray saw some delightful play along the right wing for Borris Nordone to latch onto a pass, push into the right corner and, seeing the enigmatic skipper Kennedy – and what a season the inspirational and charismatic has had - unmarked and Mjölnir surrounded, shot a pass across the goal for Kennedy to latch on and sweep into the top corner – aside from last week, you’ll not likely see a finer finish again: 2-0.

With their tails up, the Sevens continued their push, although the last ten minutes of the first half saw an easing of the gas and some tentative forays from the visitors, giving the scuttling Stuart Crablestone and Orwen Goshford with some work to do, and when called upon, the keeper Stuart Tray who once again illustrated why his inaugural season has been incredible. The half closed out with the Ops two-nil and 35 minutes from glory.

Having been reminded that their visitors didn’t come to lose perhaps spurned the club favourites to a more enthused second half play, stringing some better, more thoughtful and direct play; with Chris Whiteline and young Elliot Wilson not just pursing goals but looking at opportunities for fellow players in positions; surely another goal was beckoning?

Well, yes. And halfway in the second half, that man Messy once again found himself through after some great connecting play from Simon Bakes after some stout defending by Simon Huge to calmly shoot past the flailing keeper and give the Sevens a reassuring three-goal cushion.

With the clock winding down and opportunities aplenty, it was only a matter of time before that man Mjölnir found himself in the frame and connected to rattle the ball past the visitors and seal the game at 4-0.

Following a jubilant post-match celebration from which much Champagne was popped, we were able to catch up with a jubilant skipper Kennedy who commented on the game and season: “Well, what can I say – this has been simply one amazing season; from our first game where we won 7-0, week in, week out, we’ve put in the grind and got the results. In 22 games, we’ve won 19, drawn two and lost only one – with 96-odd goals and only 20 getting past us, the results speak for themselves; this year has been nothing short of EPIC.

“Obviously to a man, everyone has done their job – and then some; the comradery and unity in this team is off the scale and where we’ve lacked skill we’ve had one thing in spades: effort – and effort trumps skill any day. I feel it would be remiss to not thank a few key people who’ve invested almost as much into us as we have: our coaches Roscoe P Coltraine and Lard and of course, the pint-sized Bummers whose wise words have resonated and helped us to make it happen. Woody Shaw has been a fantastic player-coach and stayed sober enough to dish out some sage advice. In fact, everyone has stepped up and raised their game this season – who’d have thought that Luce can actually play, read the game and not just run around like a loon? Messy taking control of midfield and marshalling the team on the pitch – the goal machine that is Mjölnir and the simply electric Tray in goal. I’ve only three more words to close out this season: What. A. Team.”