Cheltenham Saracens are celebrating the biggest win in their history.

They beat Sittingbourne 43-27 in Coventry to win the RFU Community Cup Counties 3 Central Plate in what is their 50th anniversary season.

Fittingly, it was captain Aaron Connolly who scored their final try.

The hooker, who was playing his 200^th first-team game for the club, went over just before the final whistle, Saracens’ seventh try of the game.

"He's brilliant," said team manager Adrian Clarke. "He gives so much, this is his second season as captain."

Sittingbourne, who won Counties 3 Kent this season after winning 19 of their 20 games, were unable to cope with Cheltenham Saracens in the first half.

“We were well in control at half-time,” continued Clarke. “They had a good first five minutes but then we scored three quick tries and we were away, the boys were outstanding.”

Centre Louis Capaldi scored two tries in the opening 13 minutes, converted by Keane Mazowiec and Fred Griffin, while prop Sam Sayeed and scrum-half Charlie Mills also touched down before the break.

Griffin added one conversion to give Saracens a 26-5 half-time lead and Clarke said: “They came back at us in the second half – they had some strong players – but we made the game safe late on.”

Saracens actually stretched their to 28 points early in the second half when number 8 John McDaid scored his side’s fifth try with Griffin adding the extras.

Sittingbourne rallied and scored three tries to bring it back to 33-22 but flanker Ty-Ray Townsend’s try in the 76^th minute calmed the nerves before the celebrations could really begin.

“This is massive for the club, the biggest win in our history,” said 48-year-old Clarke, who plays for the club’s second team. “It gives us a platform to push forward.

“It’s so good because a couple of seasons ago we were struggling to get one team out, this season we’ve been getting two sides out regularly.”

The club finished fourth in the 12-team Counties 3 Gloucestershire North campaign just ended.