It's party time for St Francis. The Sussex Two West outfit have become the first title winners in Sussex this season.

And tomorrow they celebrate the club's 40th anniversary by taking on a combined Sussex Two East and West select at Southgate from 3pm.

Skipper Peter Blake and his discerning cohorts cracked open a bottle of budget bubbly from a well known Hollingbury superstore, thoughtfully provided by the Sports Argus, and toasted their success before squelching out onto their training ground this week.

But then they have got used to the good life this season after setting themselves a treble aim of winning the league, winning the Intermediate Shield and socialising more.

Blake said: "We have really been enjoying ourselves.

"We have had quite a few bashes at the club and we make sure we are represented every Saturday night in the town centre."

Saints players bravely venture out in their club blazers and ties and join the revellers at Crawley's Ikon nightclub.

Blake added: "We have even picked up a few new players when we have been out."

On the park, Saints have turned a well worn sporting cliche inside out this season For them, the league campaign has been a sprint rather than a marathon.

They have played just ten of their scheduled 12 matches and clinched the title by beating closest rivals Shoreham 18-11.

Former Sutton lock Colin Belcher and wing Thaddeus Dell, a Crawley boy of Irish descent, have been useful newcomers to the squad. Now Saints are looking forward to a night out at the Sussex RFU dinner and the challenge of surviving in division one next season.

Blake admitted: "The standard is so much better in division one.

"We are a pretty good team but out targets will be to stay up and keep improving the social side at the club."

Saints' crucial win at Shoreham was sweet revenge over the only side to have beaten them in the league this season.

They had two frights on their travels, winning just 36-32 at Norfolk Arms and 13-8 at Arun. But they piled up 109 unanswered points at Midhurst and beat Barns Green 73-3.

The one missing item on the agenda was success in the Intermediate Shield.

But club bar takings should benefit from the new county knockout when the final is staged at their ground. That could well be another social afternoon for the table-toppers.