Deal Town 3 Lydd Town 1 match report: Hoops secure this season’s Southern Counties East Premier Division title as Jamie Kennedy and Ife Oni score

Deal secured the Southern Counties East Premier Division title with a home win against Lydd on Saturday.

Forward Jamie Kennedy put the Hoops ahead in front of a record crowd in the early stages before a bizarre own goal gave them a two-goal cushion against the Lydders who saw their own faint play-off hopes effectively ended.

Substitute Ife Oni made sure of the result and, although Jack Shonk got one back for Lydd, it finished 3-1.

Inside the first 45 seconds, Deal had almost made a dream start, away goalkeeper Craig Smith getting down low to deny Kennedy.

But Scott Porter’s side were quick to respond in sunny conditions at the Charles Sports Ground in front of a crowd of 1,442.

A Sammy Adams corner was nodded over in the third minute by Robbie Dolan before midfielder Adams shot wide from distance.

Home nerves were quickly eased with 10 minutes played, though, when they went ahead. Kennedy ran onto his own header after a long ball and found the net, despite the best efforts of hard-working left-back Kane Penn on the line.

Nine minutes later, one nearly became two for the Hoops. Former Folkestone player Penn’s attempted clearance crashed against Billy Munday but he and Kennedy weren’t quite able to find a way past Craig Smith.

Lydd winger Troy Howard looked to be through on the right flank, only to be met by the on-rushing keeper Adam Molloy.

The same away duo of Adams and Robbie Dolan then combined shortly after the half-hour mark as the latter failed to hit the target from the former’s corner.

Craig Smith rushed out of his net with 35 minutes played to thwart winger Tom Chapman, who appeared to have plenty of space to run into.

Three minutes later at the other end, a glorious touch from Kennedy allowed him to fire at