Kingstonian eventually ended the season with silverware for their trophy cabinet thanks to a 2-0 win over Bognor Regis Town at the Sussex club’s Nyewood Lane ground in the Isthmian Veterans Cup Final on Sunday afternoon.

This was the fifth running of the annual over-35s’ competition and the first time Kingstonian had entered it.

The Kingsmeadow club reached the final, following a first round bye, by winning 3-1 away to Walton Casuals in the second round and then beating Bromley 6-2 in a home semi-final staged at the Colliers Wood United ground.

As befits a Vets’ encounter, the final was very much that old footballing cliché, “a game of two halves”.

Kingstonian attacked incessantly in the first half, with Bognor hardly able to counter. But a succession of near misses, goalline saves, hit woodwork and fine saves restricted Ks to an interval lead of only two goals.

Team founder in 2009, Eddie Akuamoah, in his new guise as an attacking left defender, fittingly gave them the lead in the 28th minute when his shot hit the far post, rebounded off the keeper’s back and was then hacked off the line.

In scenes reminiscent of another final at Wembley in 1966 both sides appealed as to whether the ball had crossed the line or not before the referee awarded the goal after consulting with his linesman.

But there was no disputing Kingstonian’s second goal nine minutes later. A glorious through ball by Mark Dunne, assistant manager of the club’s winning Ryman Youth League Central Division team, put Conrad Kane clear to coolly pick his spot.

The second half was a complete reverse as Bognor pushed forward relentlessly to save the game. Except, mercifully perhaps in sapping heat that would have tested the stamina of younger players (one of the K’s subs who came on in 13 minutes into thee second half was over 50!), the home side failed to score two goals to extend the game into a potentially nerve-wracking penalty kicks’ decider.