Aylesford Colts won the Kent Merit Under-13 Plate Final exactly seven years to the day since the team won their first trophy.

Manager Arron Mannering knew it was written in the stars that they would win at Sheppey’s Holm Park ground on Sunday morning.

“I’ve run the team since they were seven and I’ve got four lads who started then with me,” said Mannering.

“A memory came up on my phone this morning that this day seven years ago we won our first cup final so I think it was a bit of an omen.

“I’m really proud of them. We’ve had a hard season, we’ve not done that great in the league and we lost a semi-final in the Maidstone Cup on penalties.

“The boys have shown great character, they’ve come back so many times before. To go 2-0 up, be pegged back to 2-2, and then dig deep and come back to win 4-2.”

There was a minute’s applause prior to kick-off to mark the passing of Sheppey first-team manager and director Ernie Batten, whose passing was announced on Saturday evening.

Fittingly, the first game on the 3G pitch that Batten was behind at Holm Park since his passing featured one of the club’s youth sides.

Lively Aylesford forward Zaphenath Paneah Kouassi raced through after 12 minutes but was fouled outside the penalty area by keeper Elliott Pass.

But it proved only a temporary reprieve for The Ites as Kouassi latched onto a long through ball eight minutes later and rounded the keeper before scoring into an empty net.

The lead was doubled two minutes later when Kouassi’s lay-off was converted first time by captain Jake Pollard.

Sheppey, whose team was playing a year up, finished the half strongly. Chloe Barnes - believed to be the first girl to feature in a boys’ Kent county cup final - shot narrowly wide and captain Alfie Parr Collins’ free-kick went over before they pulled a goal back on 35 minutes.

Ruben Abbott ignored a runner to his left and sent a blistering left-foot finish over the reach of keeper Jake Collett.

Aylesford went close to restoring their two-goal advantage when Pollard’s header came back off the woodwork.

Within four minutes, Sheppey were back on level terms as Abbott again fired home an unstoppable long-range left-foot shot.

Aylesford regained the lead on 49 minutes as player-of-the-match Pollard produced an excellent low finish into the far corner and he then turned provider for the fourth goal six minutes later, playing in Max Mannering to make it 4-2.

Sheppey United: Elliott Pass, Freddie Howard, Mason MacLaren, Harry Foy, Sonny Young, Rory Baughan, Nathan West, Alfie Parr Collins, Freddie Churchill, Evan Laird, Ruben Abbott, Chloe Barnes, Tommy Hilden, Archie Barnes, Ollie Pithman, Danny Devall.

Aylesford Colts: Jake Collett, Harry Smith, Jack MacInnes, Ted Cumberland, Max Mannering, Blake Page, Leandro Silva, Jake Pollard, Jesse Peace Olaoluwa-Moronkeji, Reggie Hill, Zaphenath Paneah Kouassi, Ollie Goble, Alfie Wilkes, Bailey Penfold, Natenzi Dambanjera.

Referee: Joshua Nixon.