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 goal. He tested Craig Smith while Aaron Millbank saw his shot deflected wide.

And, from the quickly-taken corner, Ashley Miller crossed to defender Alfie Foster. But he hit the post from yards out - a miss which left manager Steve King’s head in his hands.

Lydders’ captain Ryan Smith was bailed out in first-half injury time by his keeper. He prevented Munday from getting on the end of Kennedy’s through ball.

Deal incredibly doubled their lead inside 10 second-half seconds. A booming kick from their own half miscued off the head of Jahmahl King and wrong-footed Craig Smith to go in and spark big celebrations in barely believable fashion.

King was first to make a change, bringing on Rory Smith for Miller prior to the hour mark.

Just before the hour mark, Chapman snatched at an effort which went wide before Harvey Welford sent a deflected shot over at the other end.

Molloy had to be alert to save and hold Penn’s long-range shot with 20 minutes to go.

As the home side drifted closer to glory, substitute Oni sent a 77th-minute shot wide after a Penny corner had only been half-cleared.

But Oni had made a big impact since he had come on and got their third on 81 minutes to spark chants of “We’re going up.”

Lydd’s Charlie Dickens did well to deny fellow substitute Wes Hennessey, only for Oni to then blast into the bottom corner as they left last season’s shock Kent Senior Trophy defeat as a thing of the past.

At the start of five minutes of stoppage time, the away team did get a consolation goal they had probably deserved when substitute Shonk bundled beyond Molloy.

But Deal - who also reached the Challenge Cup Semi-Final and the FA Vase Quarter-Final - had done more than enough and the full-time whistle was greeted by joyous scenes as fans rushed onto the pitch.

The hosts made one change from Tuesday’s 2-2 draw at Lordswood. The injured Ben Chapman (hamstring) was replaced by stand-in skipper Millbank.

For the visitors, manager Porter had named an unchanged side from the one which won 3-0 at home to Punjab United on Wednesday.

Next season will be the Hoops’ first playing Isthmian League football and will see the club return to that level for the first time in nearly 50 years.

They will host Punjab United on Tuesday.

Deal Town: Molloy, Reeves (Hark 83mins), Penny, Niblett, Foster, Munday, Chapman (Oni 73mins), Murray (Byford 86mins), Millbank, Miller (R.Smith 56mins), Kennedy (Hennessey 73mins).

Lydd Town: C.Smith, Moore (Sedenu 90mins), Penn, R.Smith, King, Robbie Dolan, Howard, Ronnie Dolan (Horley 86mins), Pogue (Shonk 64mins), Adams (Rogers 77mins), Welford (Dickens 73mins).

Referee: Howard Collins.

Attendance: 1,422.