Trophy-laden Rising Sun added more silverware to their collection with a hard-fought Kent Sunday Premier Cup final victory against Artois United on Sunday.

Already having secured the Herne Bay & Whitstable Sunday League Premier Division title again and The Fletcher Memorial Cup - with a semi-final and potential final to come in their Challenge Cup defence - Kyle Atkinson got the only goal as it ended 1-0 to Risers.

Coach Clive Stace reflected: “It was a very hard game.

“Credit to Artois. They are a very good side and made it very hard.

“We've nicked it, but credit where credit is due to their boys. They have done extremely well so well done to their management for getting them this far.

“Football can be cruel at times but, luckily enough, we have come off as winners.

“We’ll now go and celebrate in very good fashion!”

For Artois United, who had been on a 17-game winning streak until recently, it proved an agonising second final loss at Maidstone’s Gallagher Stadium in just nine days. They were edged out in a five-goal Presidents A Cup Final by Barming Youth.

They had made a strong start as Rising Sun keeper Jack Delo was forced into a fifth-minute save by Tom Goodayle before Kane Joseph fired over.

A first opportunity for Risers came in the 17th minute when Jay Hards whistled a strike past Tommy Sceal’s right-hand post from a left-wing delivery by forward Danny Williams.

Three minutes later, a high free-kick dropped nicely for Ryan Hine, only for the United player to drag wide.

Many of Rising Sun’s squad have plied their trade at Step 4 and Step 5 in the English non-league pyramid, and that quality was on show for their goal on 26 minutes.

A defence-splitting Sam Staunton pass sent Atkinson away and he made no mistake before he wheeled off to celebrate.

“We knew we could try and do that beforehand,” Stace, who worked alongside manager Nathan Eastwood, Ben Brown and fellow coach Gary Sayer on the sidelines, revealed.

“We had looked at them a couple of times, unbeknown to them, and the game-plan sort of worked.”

Aiming for a response, Artois United, who had seen off Park Royal Civil Service Sports (10-0), Aldington (4-0), Hatcham (2-1), Leysdown (4-0) and Range Rovers Sports (5-1) on route to the final, also enjoyed a strong end to the half.

They went close through a shot from Dan Ashton that tested Delo and Ben Holder’s free-kick, which Baldi Maher flicked over.

Tim Thirlaway’s team looked set to equalise on the stroke of half-time through 22-goal Tunbridge Wells striker Regan Corke as he shot past Delo.

But Risers man Joe Nelder, pipped to the man-of-the-match award by central defensive partner Joe Kennett, got back in time to make a crucial goal-line clearance, and you could certainly have forgiven United for wondering how they found themselves behind.

Versatile ex-Herne Bay and Whitstable player Nelder was again at it nine minutes after the restart, denying Joseph.

Opportunities at both ends either side of the hour mark saw Callum Mason blaze over for Rising Sun and Herne Bay fans’ favourite Delo get a key fingertip on a dangerous Corke right-wing delivery.

In truth, the second period never fully found a rhythm as tempers rose on another warm day late on.

After Staunton drilled wide for Risers - who had conceded four times when getting past Kings United (2-1), St Margaret’s at Cliffe (2-0), TWS Cramptons (4-2), Cricketers Gravesend (2-1) and Park Regis NEO (3-0) - Artois attempted to ramp up the pressure.

But Ashton failed to hit the target when the ball dropped kindly from a Sceal long free-kick and, while Hine called Delo back into action with five minutes to play, he did so from an offside position.

That was as close as Artois would come to a late leveller.

They will return their focus to league matters where they will visit leaders East Malling, three points ahead of them with an inferior goal difference on Wednesday, May 14, in a potential title decider. That’s followed by a season-ending game against Barming Youth four days later.

Rising Sun, based in Beltinge, near Herne Bay, came close to a second in seven minutes of injury time through a Rob Lawrence free-kick and fellow substitute Joe Turner’s effort that was tipped over by Sceal, but they had already done enough.

It means they have already won two cup competitions this term and were unbeaten in the league where their sole blemish during an otherwise perfect record came in September’s 2-2 draw at The Plough.

But Stace admitted: “This is the hardest game we’ve had all season.

“They were very good, we were very good, and it was won on fine margins.

“Thankfully, it was us that came out on top.”

While Risers had lost out in the league title race to The Plough last term, they did still claim the Challenge Cup and Senior Charity Cup gongs. They also had been victorious on five fronts in the 2020/21 campaign.

“We have got a big squad and a lot of quality,” said Stace.

“We have brought some young lads in, as well, and credit where credit is due, they have all done their bit over the season.

“It’s just a great squad and we’re very happy with them.”

Rising Sun: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Callum Mason, Joe Kennett, Joe Nelder, Sam Staunton, Josh Ells, Adam Woollcott, Danny Williams, Kyle Atkinson, Jay Hards, John Rich, Rob Lawrence, James Turner, Archie Rumball, Josh McCullum.

Artois United: Tommy Sceal, Dan Ashton, Ryan Hine, Matt Harden, Harry Cohen, Nathan Moseley, Tom Goodayle, Ben Holder, Kane Joseph, Regan Corke, Baldi Maher, Ian Trim, George Gill, Lucas Murrian, Louis Dimmons, Dave Cherry.

Referee: Mark Fitzpatrick.