HOW do you improve on winning a third consecutive Journal Premier Division championship?

Simple. Win it for a fourth year running and throw in the Devon Premier Cup for good measure.

Boca Seniors made history by becoming the first team from the North Devon League to win the prestigious county prize.

In truth, their defence of the championship can hardly be described as a title 'race'.

Even after a surprising 2-0 defeat to Torridgeside in their second game of the season, the champions remained head and shoulders above the rest.

One by one, various challengers were put in their place.

New signing Lee Langmead hit the only goal against Braunton in November, while the usual suspects — Mark Barrow (two), Richard Shannon and Matt Deakin — took care of a 4-2 win against North Molton the following month.

Just after Christmas, Taro Bishop and Barrow struck late goals for a 4-2 win over Combe Martin at an icy Hollands Park.

And by the time Shannon rifled a late winner against Appledore in February, attention was already turning to the county cup adventure.

Just two days after that famous cup triumph at Tiverton Town, the title was confirmed with a 4-1 win at Dolton, with former Rangers Mike Cowell and Ben Mardon on target.

That early blip against Torridgeside, when Rob Holland and Jethro Kimber gave the Premier new boys an unexpected boost, was soon forgotten.

Boca responded with 21 consecutive wins, only losing again to Braunton and Georgeham after the silverware was secured.

Winning the Premier Division for the fourth year in a row has equalled the record set by Barnstaple Town in the 1960s.

The race for the runners-up medals was much harder to call. Appledore's youngsters eventually took the honours, impressing with their pass-and-move football to finish as the division's top scorers with 98 goals.

Eleven of those came against Hartland last month when strikeforce Sean Downing and Matt Bolton helped themselves to four each.

Top scorer Bolton also ran riot against Dolton with a six-goal haul in their 8-1 win.

It was the Fishermen's best league finish since they won the Premier Division in 1996.

In the early months, Combe Martin were the pacesetters, winning their first six games and scoring 30 goals in the process.

Newly-promoted neighbours Ilfracombe Town also settled in well, topping the table at Christmas before fading away when their squad became depleted in the new year.

While third-placed Braunton's big moment came in the Brayford Cup, Barnstaple AAC will look back fondly on a league double over their rivals.

Scott Sharp and Ronnie Richmond secured a 2-1 win at Christmas, then Andy Sanders fired a hat-trick against his old team-mates as Ammies clinched the rematch 4-3.

Down in the basement, things were hugely unpredictable with six teams all trying to avoid the wooden spoon heading into the final month.

Dolton finished bottom on goal difference and will rue the decision to send on a substitute under a false name against Bradworthy. Incredibly, they were 5-1 up at the time and the subsequent loss of three points proved critical.

It was a season of near misses for the young Rangers, who led 2-0 against Putford in April before Pete Buckpitt and Chris Pomeroy snatched a point for the visitors in the last 10 minutes.

In November, Billy Tubb, Danny Stubbings (two), Will Folland and Will Clarke gave Dolton a 5-2 advantage at Morwenstow with 20 minutes to go.

But the Cornish club hit back with a long-range rocket from Neil Bousahla before Neil Heard's late effort gave them a 6-5 win in one of the season's craziest scorelines.