Brighton completed a remarkable league and cup double and then proclaimed: This is just for starters.

Goals from Craig Carolan and Richard Cook gave the Kent/Sussex Regional League champions a 2-0 win over National League side Lewes in the Sussex Cup final at Lewes on Saturday.

This was Brighton's third cup success in the last four years but the magnitude of this latest victory should not be underestimated.

To beat a team three leagues higher on their own pitch is a superb effort. For that to follow a victory over another National League side, East Grinstead in the semi-final, it is an outstanding achievement.

This was the first time in several years that National League sides have entered the Sussex Cup and Brighton beat both the top two teams in the county to lift the trophy.

It shows the progress the club has made and perhaps how much further they could have gone but for a stifling league system in English hockey.

Carolan, who opened the scoring with a tremendous effort with his back to goal, said: "It is sad that there is not a clearing system in the leagues. It is only one up each time.

"We are three leagues below Lewes, we have shown we can compete and yet it would effectively take us three years before we can get into that league.

"It is sad but hopefully we can play well next season and maybe go up again.

"With the side we have at the moment we can easily hold our own in division two of the National League. We wouldn't be high fliers but we have shown we can really compete in that league and also if you are a couple of leagues up you can attract the players.

"Back in South Africa we rely a lot on team spirit. The spirit here is as good as any other club I have played for in my life and I have been playing at the top level in South Africa and here for 14 years."

Skipper Carlo Missirian also praised Brighton's team spirit and joined the chorus for a change in the league structure.

Missirian said: "Four years ago we were dead and buried as a club. In fact, it is ironic. It was on this pitch we lost to Crawley in a play-off five years ago which got us relegated from the Kent/Sussex League. Now we are in Southern Premier division two and we have beaten the top two teams in Sussex.

"It shows the league system in this country is a farce. We haven't been able to progress as we should have done in the last three years and yet we have shown we can compete at National League level.

"I know this is a cup and a one-off but we shouldn't have been stuck in a league for three years and that is down to only one going up.

"The support today was awesome. We were on Lewes' pitch but we outnumbered them ten to one and that is why this club is so strong."

Lewes had 12 short corners to Brighton's two but their inability to really trouble keeper Pete Ashdown summed up their disappointing season.

They were missing four regulars but still should have had enough to beat Brighton.

Instead, a vibrant Brighton looked the more dangerous side, particularly from open play, and took the lead a minute into the second half thanks to the experienced Carolan, adding to his 47 league games in his debut season for the club.

Cook, the club stalwart who is retiring in the summer, sealed victory eight minutes later with a smart finish from a tight angle after being fed by Carolan.

Lewes did not help themselves with Ryan Standing twice being yellow carded and Brighton could have added a third in stoppage time when Simon Acott broke clear but unselfishly squared the ball when a shot might have been more appropriate.

Cook said: "It is a tremendous achievement. It is good to have Lewes and EG back in the cup. It is nice to pit yourself against the teams in the upper leagues and it raises you to a better level.

"I think the club will go from strength to strength now. We have a good coaching set up and if we can just get a decent pitch it will be fantastic."

Coach Bram van Asselt, seen by many as the architect of Brighton's revival over the past four seasons, was quick to praise the players.

He said: "They have proved to themselves they are a good side. I have always thought it but now they know it. They deserved to win today by a long way and a lot more goals but we are happy with 2-0."

Brighton: Ashdown, Smales, Baker, Turnball, Brown, Missirian, Warrinder, Williams, Attala, Cook, Watson. Subs: Carolan, Delea, Pruce, Acott, Ferguson.

Lewes: Wilkinson, Standing, Champness, Mullany, Ibbotson, Parker, Poulsen, van Tromp, Hooker, Achterberg, Pike. Subs: Stillman, Judge, Charles, Bone.

Man-of-the-match: Don Turnball.