Blackheath 43 Old Elthamian 25.

Retiring prop-forward (and next season's performance director) Simon Legg brought the curtain down on his playing career with 160 minutes of rugby in a little over 24 hours, culminating with victory in the Kent Cup final.

On a bright and breezy Sunday afternoon at Ashford RFC, the Club scored six tries against their near rivals Old Elthamian, five in a storming second period, to ensure they lifted the county cup for the first time since 2009.

OEs struck first through the immaculate boot of former Club full-back Tom White to gain an early lead in an evenly matched first period, during which Blackheath had to weather a difficult ten minutes with James Munton in the sin-bin, Elthamian wing (and National League Three South-East top try scorer) Renford Bennett going close on two occasions.

However, on 32 minutes, opposite number Chris O’Neill’s chip towards the left corner bobbled awkwardly for OEs’ defence and the wing was first to ground the ball for a 7-3 lead for Blackheath at the break.

The Club suffered a second yellow card at the re-start, enabling Tom White to narrow the gap to a single point, but as Blackheath began to pile on the pressure, it was the two rapid sin-binnings for OEs that made the difference.

Fly-half David Dunne knocked over a penalty, before flanker James Lindfield fed O’Neill to break away for his second, and then the left-wing was involved once again as Dunne unselfishly off-loaded to skipper and hooker Joe Bonner to score.

Right-wing George Smith responded for OEs, but the momentum remained with Blackheath as Lindfield and number-eight Dave Allen added further tries, and although Smith scored a second, and Tom White had the last word with a neat move in midfield, sandwiched in between was another for Allen, after ball was turned over from a close-range scrum, to put the Club clear.

Blackheath.

Tries: O’Neill 2, Bonner, Lindfield, Allen 2.
Cons: Dunne 5.
Pens: Dunne.

Old Elthamian.

Try: Smith 2, White (Tom).
Conv: White (Tom) 2.
Pens: White (Tom) 2.