Kings Langley joint-boss Ritchie Hanlon says completing a league and cup double would cap a season which has far exceeded anything they anticipated.

Already crowned Spartan South Midlands Premier Division champions, Kings completed their league campaign with a routine 4-1 home victory over Oxhey Jets on Saturday.

Now they will seek to complete an unprecedented double by lifting the Challenge Trophy when they face St Margaretsbury on Bank Holiday Monday.

“Completing the double would be beyond anything we anticipated at the start of the season,” acknowledged Hanlon. “We thought we would sneak around fourth or fifth in the league to try and suss it out and have a little run in one of the cups too.

“So to have the season we have has been beyond our wildest dreams.”

Hanlon and joint-manager Paul Hughes have used a number of the club’s young players in the cup this season but the former midfielder confirmed Kings will be fielding their strongest side as they go in search of further honours.

He said: “Most of the young lads have got us through this tournament, with a few senior lads, but it will be the strongest team on Monday. But a massive well done to the young lads who have got us there. It certainly bodes well for the future to know we have those guys knocking on the door.”

Runners-up in Division One 12 months ago, Kings have made light work of a higher level of football, scoring 127 goals en route to the title, secured with 103 points and a ten-point cushion between themselves and London Colney in second.

But Hanlon refutes the suggestion his side may have risen too quickly. He explained: “No, I don’t think we’ve gone up too soon because we have got plans in place for what we want to do.

“We are going to do a lot more coaching with the players next season, work a lot more closely with them on that side of things and we will be even more professional than we were this year.”

And preparations for next season have already begun in earnest for Hanlon and Hughes.

“We have been to watch a few games to try to get as much information on the league above as possible,” explained Hanlon.

“We are also trying to collate players who are going to stay and trying to collate those who want to go – though I would be more disappointed than anything if someone said they were not enjoying themselves and wanted to leave.”

He added: “We will sit down with them all and say how we think their season has gone, what they need to work on and where we see them in the team. This year, along with last, it will be a case of saying ‘see you in pre-season’.”

With nothing to play for, Kings were rampant on Saturday and showed no mercy against a patched-up Oxhey Jets side, who welcomed their hosts onto the field with a guard of honour.

The lead was Kings’ when after just 45 seconds Danny Hutchins fired home from 12 yards after Lewis Toomey was felled in the penalty area, the striker maintaining his 100 per cent record from the spot.

A second followed seven minutes later when Alex Campana found himself in the right place at the right time to convert after Mitchell Weiss saw an effort blocked.

The ruthless hosts grabbed a third via Hutchins before the half-hour mark, the striker powering home from 25 yards. Toomey completed the scoring just after the hour mark to wrap up a peerless league campaign.

“We weren’t at our best,” Hanlon admitted. “We missed quite a few chances but with how the league has gone there is not a lot you can say to the lads.”

He added: “The guard of honour was a classy touch and a fitting end to a fantastic league campaign.”