Sutton and Epsom Vets are known as the Dodos but unlike the bird they are far from extinct as they showed at Croydon RFC on Sunday, winning the Evergreen cup for an extraordinary fourth successive year and for the sixth time in seven years.

Organised and run by prop Adrian Jenkins who captained the 1st XV in 1990/92 and by centre Roland Cheall, 50 years young, who was 1st XV captain 2 years earlier, theDods just keep getting better and better.

They had to in this final as Maidstone proved stern opposition and the result was in balance until the dying minutes.

Sutton were first on the scoreboard when their own kiwi centre Jake Webber, took a quick tap penalty and crashed over for fly half Sam Frost to convert. Maidstone responded soon after with a try on the blindside from a 5 metre scrum so a low key first half ended with Sutton leading 7-5.

Within 3 minutes of therestart Frost another former captain with over 400 first team appearances showed his talents are undiminished with a scintillating outside break and full back Jeremy Dix was on hand to take the scoring pass and crash over in the right corner.

Maidstone came back with a penalty to reduce Sutton’s lead to 4 points which they maintained in a tense final quarter until settling the issue in injury time.

Maidstone tried to run the ball from inside their own 22 but the move broke down and Sutton’s flanker George Devonport snapped up the loose ball and raced 35 metres to score in the corner. Frost converted with a superb kick and Sutton had retained the cup.