The drama had begun even before kick-off. Just 30 minutes prior to the start, news filtered through that the Rams had been awarded three points following a successful protest against Southend Collegians Reserves, who had fielded an ineligible player in a previous fixture. The decision put the Rams four points clear at the top of the table—but with Rochford holding two games in hand, the equation remained simple: nothing less than a win would do.

With the stakes crystal clear, the Rams started brightly and took the lead after just 11 minutes. Dominic North continued his superb campaign by calmly finishing for his 23rd goal of the season, after the Leigh Maldini rose like a salmon to flick on, setting the tone for a dominant first-half display.
The Rams doubled their advantage on 37 minutes through the prolific Owen Rice, who notched his remarkable 65th goal of the season. The strike was brilliantly created by Dexter Payne, whose lung-busting run down the right wing opened up the chance and highlighted the Rams’ attacking quality. The Rams went into the break with a deserved 2–0 lead.

Rochford, however, refused to lie down. With 20 minutes remaining, Town pulled a goal back to shift the momentum and set up a tense finish. The Rams responded brilliantly, restoring their two-goal cushion on 74 minutes when Ray Burkmar found the net for his 19th goal of the season, following some very neat work by youngster Alan Mudzingwa to set up the opportunity.

But there was still late drama to come. Deep into stoppage time, Rochford scored a superb free-kick in the 91st minute to make it 3–2 and set up a nervy finale. As the seconds ticked away, it seemed an eternity before the referee finally blew for full-time.
When the whistle did come, celebrations erupted. The Rams had held on to secure a memorable victory—and with it, the league title.
Sealed in a high-pressure local derby, this was a triumph built on quality, resilience, and big-game performances from familiar faces. A day to remember for everyone at the Rams.