Long Sutton are crowned champions of the South Lincs and Border League
Long Sutton were crowned South Lincs and Border League champions for the first time in 16 years on Saturday.
The Paradise Field club clinched the Championship crown with a narrow five-run final day victory over Freiston.
It has now opened up a pathway back to the Lincolnshire Premier League for Long Sutton who can lock horns with Spalding, Bourne and Market Deeping next season.
Sutton went into Saturday's final game of the season needing just three points to be crowned league champions.
They were put into bat by their fifth-placed visitors with 150 runs the initial target to clinch the title.
However, they fell to 59-6 and it needed a vital innings of 60 from Tim Norris to take Sutton to 125 all out.
Freiston began brightly in their reply but skipper Jake Burton brought himself into the attack and ripped through the top order to finish with 5-22 from nine overs while taking a catch off Charlie Crisp's bowling to dismiss visiting top scorer Abdul Moeed for 26.
Norris also had Ashok Kumar caught and bowled for 24 as he finished a fine all-round performance with 3-7 from 2.5 overs.
He took the final wicket to fall as Freiston were bowled out for 120 and the championship celebrations could begin.
The title triumph capped a super season for Long Sutton whose second team also clinched promotion from Division Two.
They were long-time leaders before being pipped to the title on the final day of the season when Royal Boston took top spot with victory over Ketton Sports.
Moulton Harrox maintained their hopes of securing second spot with a three-wicket win at Market Deeping 2nds on Saturday.
They travel to Sleaford 2nds on Saturday for their final game of the campaign needing a healthy victory to clinch the runners-up berth behind champions Long Sutton.
Matt Rose returned 4-33 from nine overs while Jamie Kitchen and Chris Beale took two wickets each as Deeping were dismissed for 162. Dave Gillett was their top scorer with 62.
Kitchen opened the Moulton reply with 33 before Ruari Drumm steered them home in the 32nd over with an unbeaten 34. Hayder Ali took 4-32 for Deeping who finished the season in bottom spot.
Bourne 2nds ended in ninth place in the 12-team division after a 104-run reversal at Boston in their final game on Saturday.
Drew Kirtland-Blundell's 3-23 and two wickets each for Tom Patchett and Freddie Arlott had helped dismiss Boston for 161.
However, a sensational spell of 9-13 from 7.4 overs by Scott Elleray saw Bourne bowled out for 57 in reply. Stanley Watson top-scored with 19.