BLACKFIELD & Langley are the Sydenhams Wessex Premier League champions after winning 4-2 at nearest rivals Alresford Town.

Needing a point to avoid a tense final day of the season, the Watersiders soon trailed to defender Lee Wood's sixth-minute opener.

And they were reduced to ten men when Maurice Stuart was sent off for flooring Stuart Green with an elbow ten minutes later.

But Blackfield hit back with four goals in 15 minutes and are now an unassailable seven points clear ahead of tomorrow’s last round of games.

Manager Ashley Vickers, whose side’s 19-match unbeaten run stretches back nearly three months, said: “A lot of people didn’t want us to win the league but we’ve gone about our business quietly and efficiently all year.

“The boys have worked ever so hard since the first day of pre-season. “It’s a special group, they’ve been grinding out results week in, week out and have done it again with ten men.”

Former Winchester City defender Leigh Mills ensured ten-man Blackfield were level at the break, reacting quickest in a packed penalty area in the 39th minute.

Then Alresford striker Zach Glasspool was denied from point-blank range by former Saints academy goalkeeper Steve Mowthorpe on the stroke of half-time.

But Ekow Elliott struck twice in three minutes at the beginning of the second half.

Jubilant celebrations in the away dug-out followed the winger’s stunning second goal – an outside-of-the-boot gem into the top corner.

That followed an inswinging free-kick from the right flank that was missed by everyone in the 46th minute.

Having missed a crucial penalty in Blackfield’s 3-0 FA Cup defeat at Hastings United in October, Elliott was content to let Nathan Lynch score Blackfield’s fourth from the spot after ex-Saint Kevin Gibbens was upended in the 54th minute.

Alresford had scored 24 goals in their previous four league games, during which time they have also won the Hampshire Senior Cup – one of three trophies to show for an incredible season.

But this was a ‘cup final’ too far for the Magpies, who welcomed a club-record crowd of 194 to Arlebury Park last night.

Needing four goals in the last half-hour to keep alive their title hopes, they missed a penalty through top scorer Warren Bentley in the 67th minute, Mowthorpe saving comfortably.

Bentley had another shot saved before Glasspool's direct free-kick reduced the arrears ten minutes from time.

Alresford co-manager Danny Robinson said: “Congratulations to Blackfield, the league table doesn’t lie. “They were better than us even with ten men and were better than us at their place as well.

“We never got going tonight but the last two months have been a roller-coaster, we’ve been putting the same bodies through a lot week in, week out.

“A lot of people hadn’t even heard of Alresford Town before this season so it’s been some achievement to come out with three trophies.”

Alresford: Phillips, Edwards, Wright, Green (McEnery 68), Mott, Wood, Odeh (Manning 57), Everett (Strange), Glasspool, Bentley, Cope.

Blackfield & Langley: Mowthorpe, Cuthbertson, Byrne, Durdey, Mills, Sampson, Elliott, Ewen (Crow 76), Gibbens, Stuart, Lynch (Allen 73).