We've played the best football and been the best side all season, says Vickers champion Ben Payne

VCD ATHLETIC captain Ben Payne says the club deserves to be crowned Ryman League Division One North champions.

Vickers claimed the title on a nervy final day of the league season when the footballing gods were smiling down on a team that play the beautiful game.

League leaders Witham Town had to win at Cheshunt to smash the Kent club’s title dream, but Garry Kimble’s side were held to a 1-1 draw in Hertfordshire.

Nick Robinson, the vice-chairman of the Ryman Football League, had to make a 33 mile dash around the M25 to hand Payne the championship trophy at 18:10 inside the clubhouse at Oakwood, following Vickers’ 6-0 victory over Romford.

Payne, 24, headed home a fourth minute opener, before striker Michael Power, 30, scored a hat-trick to take his tally for the season to 19 goals in 22 games, before further goals were added by Dean Carpenter and substitute Bertie Brayley.

Brayley, 34, curled in the sixth goal of the game at the death, seconds before a roar erupted from home fans to confirm that Witham Town slipped up at Theobalds Lane.

Mr Robinson, who handed out 25 championship winning medals to the club, revealed Witham Town hit the post with three minutes of their game remaining.

“I thought we deserved it. We did deserve it,” said Payne, who played under boss Tony Russell in the Kent League for Erith Town.

“Throughout the season I think we've played the best football, been the best side all season.

“A couple of silly results towards the end of the season, we could have won it a couple of games ago, but we let it slip but I think well deserved in the end.”

Russell revealed that he sent his side out onto the pitch expecting to be contesting a home play-off semi-final on Tuesday night.

But Vickers, who were 66-1 to win the title, delivered the goods when Witham Town bottled it.

VCD Athletic complete their 46 match league campaign with a record of 32 wins, 3 draws and 11 defeats, scoring 116 goals and conceding 54, with a massive 99 points, finishing one point clear of Witham Town, who scored 109 goals.

Seventeen years ago the club clinched the Kent County League Premier Division title and in August they will be playing Ryman Premier League football for the first time in their 98 year history.

“We were confident we’d win today,” said Payne.

“Tony was saying to us just go into it thinking they’ve got the upper hand, a point above.  Their away to Cheshunt, not a bad side, had a couple of good results.  They could drop points but go into it thinking that you’re going to be playing in the play-offs.

“Everyone was relaxed and I think it showed today. We played well, dominated the game from start to finish and got our reward.”

Reflecting on his fourth goal of the season, the central defender added: “I don’t score many but I seem to save it for the big games. We needed a good start, just to settle the nerves.  Luckily I got my head onto it.”

The longer the game went on, the more unbearable the tension was.  A goal for Witham Town would have sent the league title to Essex for the second year running after Grays Athletic won it a year ago.

“I heard a couple of the fans saying its gone one-all,” said Payne.

“I was looking over to Tony and Razor (Ray Powell) throughout the game. I didn’t want to say too much. Towards the end and during stoppage time I had a good feeling then we would go on and win it.”

Collecting the league trophy in the clubhouse at ten-past-six was a bit of an anti-climax because trophy presentations should be made out on the pitch.

With 33 miles between Cheshunt and Crayford, with two teams still in the hunt for the prize, the trophy should have been sitting somewhere between the two towns in a motorway layby.

But Payne said: “I’m just happy to win the league to be honest. I’ll just take the league.  I’m not too bothered about the silverware, just as long as we got the promotion what we deserved.”

Payne was full of praise for Russell, 35, who has brought back-to-back promotions to the club.
 
“We get on well, we do get on well. We have a laugh at times and I know when it’s time to get serious, but I know my limits.  That’s the thing with Tony, we play good football so it’s enjoyable to come football.

“It’s Tony’s way.  He told us at the beginning the way to play, don’t be afraid to play. If you make a mistake when you’re playing the right way, don’t worry about it. He’d rather do that then hide and you don’t get on the ball.”

When asked how far Russell can go in football management, Payne replied: “There’s no doubt in his ability.  The club, I don’t know the sort of budget there is for the club but next year I think we’ll do well in the league above.

“I think we’ve got the players, got the right temperament. I think we’ll do alright.

“I’ve never won a league so this is the first time.  It does feel good.  I think we deserved it after the hard season we’ve had.  We thought it was all over a couple of weeks ago, but I think we deserved it.  It’s brilliant. I just can’t wait for tonight.”

Visit VCD Athletic website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/vcdathleticfc