NEWCASTLE Emlyn ended their campaign on a high as they took their chances to beat a youthful Cardigan side 3-1 to claim the Bay Cup with a solid win at Parc Puw.

The Reds, who were the Costcutter Ceredigion League Cup winners, as well as being the Division One runners-up to Llandysul this season, were already 3-0 ahead at the interval.

Sam Skinner and Jake Kelly both scored to put the Reds in control, before a superb 22-yard free kick by excellent former Cardigan player Peter Almond sealed it.

Cardigan, however, were left to rue missed chances, and a penalty save by Emlyn keeper Ian Hamilton at a crucial period in the game proved to be decisive.

Referee Nigel Edwards had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, after Tom Gardiner was tripped in the box, but Magpies skipper Iestyn Evans saw his powerfully struck penalty parried by Hamilton, before firing the rebound over the crossbar.

A goal at this stage could well have resulted in a different outcome as Cardigan were in the ascendency, despite being two goals down, and they had dominated much of the play albeit from box to box.

John Lumb almost scored after 10 minutes when his well-struck shot cleared the bar, and Ben Davies, the stand-out player for Cardigan, also went close with a header, before the Reds opened the scoring.

Davies was booked for a rash challenge on the half way line and when the free kick was floated into the box by Steve Hicks, ex-Bargod midfielder Sam Skinner slipped in between the keeper and defender and the ball ended up in the net.

A second goal followed soon after when a parried save fell nicely into the path of impressive youngster Jake Kelly, another former Bargod raider, and he threaded the ball home for a 2-0 lead on half an hour.

The Magpies had a golden opportunity to pull a goal back, but Hamilton denied Evans from the penalty spot, and this signalled an aggressive couple of minutes, with some nasty challenges coming in.

When Peter Almond’s sweetly struck free kick from well outside the box beat Woodford all ends up, it was a bitter pill to swallow for the Magpies, as there had been little to choose between the teams.

There seemed to be no way back for Cardigan as they struggled against a very organised Emlyn back four, well marshalled once again by experienced defender Steve Hicks, alongside Huw Jones and the impressive youngster George Lowry.

The second half was a complete contrast to the feisty encounter of the opening half, but former Magpie Sam Hall was shown a red card for a second bookable offence.

Cardigan threatened on occasion with Lumb, Davies and Ewan Jones going close to reducing the deficit with headers, but Emlyn keeper Hamilton was not seriously tested and the match fizzled out in front of a disappointing crowd at Felindre.

In the final minute Cardigan skipper Iestyn Evans headed home to gain a scrap of consolation for his team, but the Reds lifted the Cup for the first time in 17 years.