RAMSGATE are Ryman League Division 1 champions in all but name.

Barring a freak double-figure win for Horsham in their final home game of the season against Bashley on Saturday, they will receive the trophy at Met Police on Saturday.

Kent County Football Association and Ryman League official Barry Simmonds was at Southwood ready to make the presentation, but changed his mind after Rams were held 0-0 by Ashford and Horsham came from behind to win 3-1 at Molesey.

Club official Arran Lee Ayres’ mobile phone was inundated with text messages from other grounds throughout the afternoon, but the eventual outcome proved a real anti-climax after the excitement of beating Dover on Easter Monday.

Jimmy Ward and his players celebrated in the sunshine with the crowd on the terraces following the final whistle, but the Rams boss agreed it was the right decision to delay any hand-over.

He said: "You can’t present the trophy unless we’ve won’t it, and we haven’t. We have got to get beat 6-0 on Saturday, and Horsham have to win 7-0, so we are almost there, but it certainly took the edge of our celebrations.

"We know we have won it, unless something catastrophic happens."

Twelve months ago almost to the day, Ramsgate were crowned Kent League champions at Lordswood, and Ward added: "Now we can look forward to Kent derbies against Folkestone Invicta, Margate, Bromley and maybe Dover and Tonbridge who are both likely to be in the play-offs."