Champions Bishop’s Stortford ensured Kevin Watson’s spell as boss of relegated Herne Bay ended in a heavy Isthmian Premier home defeat on Saturday.

The visitors, who found out they had won the league on Tuesday due to other results, drew first blood through Ben Marlow against Bay, whose manager stepped down at the end of the season after the game.

Stortford’s second came when Donnell Thomas netted before they turned on the style after the restart, as Sam Deering, Jonathan Giles and Frankie Merrifield made it 5-0.

The champions were given a guard of honour prior to kick-off by the hosts amid chants of “We’re going up” from the away contingent.

A bright start at Winch’s Field in front of a crowd of 790, backed by a strong Stortford support on an historic day for them, saw either side threaten inside the first minute. But both teams couldn’t get shots away from good positions.

Stortford attacking midfielder Thomas forced a simple save from Herne Bay keeper Jordan Perrin in the fifth minute before Mason Saunders-Henry blasted over at the other end.

A great jinxing run by visiting player Giles in the 17th minute was then eventually halted by centre-half Dan Johnson.

But another attack down the left led to the opening goal, which was headed in by midfielder Marlow in emphatic fashion.

Things swiftly settled down from that point until home defender Jack Parter, deployed at centre-back, sent a 35th-minute long-range strike wide.

Thomas stung the palms of Perrin, soon after.

Two minutes before half-time, however, Bishop’s Stortford doubled their advantage. Thomas was left in acres of space to convert a knock-down from Deering’s free-kick.

Stand-in skipper Marcel Barrington ran onto Saunders-Henry’s through-ball and tested Jack Giddens with the second period just two minutes old.

But Stortford turned on the style in the 53rd minute as Deering steered home David Olufemi’s cross.

Three became four shortly before the hour when Giles blasted beyond a helpless Perrin from around 30 yards with a stunning strike.

Bay heads were well and truly down by this point and, midway through the half, substitute Merrifield got in on the act to make it 5-0.

With 20 minutes left, Herne Bay youngster Teddy Isaacs was introduced in place of Saunders-Henry.

The impressive Giles again tried his luck on 77 minutes albeit, this time, Perrin was well behind his powerful drive.

Five minutes later, Michael West found space, only for the midfielder to elect to pass when he perhaps would have been better off pulling the trigger.

The 84th minute saw Giddens have to be alive to tip another long-range shot from West wide.

Merrifield should have added another in the last minute of normal time, but he dragged wide after a left-wing delivery appeared to have been put on a plate for him.

It mattered little, though, as Bishop’s Stortford title celebrations got under way in the April sunshine in Kent.

Herne Bay end the season third-bottom on 33 points, six clear of safety, while the away team finish four points ahead of second-placed Hornchurch.

There was a start for midfielder Monty Saunders for Bay - who played at left-back - while fellow young prospect Isaacs came off the bench.

On-loan Tonbridge midfielder Saunders-Henry, despite managing a broken wrist, retained his place in the starting line-up despite Bay making three changes.

It was the third time this season the teams had met. Steve Smith’s side had already beaten Bay in the FA Trophy at Winch’s Field and on the road in the league.

Herne Bay: Perrin, Williams, Parter, Johnson, Saunders, Saunders-Henry (Isaacs 70mins), Barrington, Ogunleye, West, Ozobia, Anderson. Subs not used: Antonio, Dymond, Sammoutis, Dos Santos.

Bishop’s Stortford: Giddens, Porter, Deering (Church 56mins), Giles, Johnson, Thomas, Olufemi, Akolbrie (Foxley 65mins), Marlow, Haines, Harris (Merrifield 56mins). Subs not used: Henshaw, Peters.

Referee: Aaron Conn.

Attendance: 790.