Unstoppable Newport Town are expected to complete the second part of their treble quest on Wednesday. Town lifted the Williams & Picken Shropshire Junior Cup with a 4-2 win over Ellesmere Rangers Reserves on Monday night.
And they will be crowned Shropshire County first division champions next week if they can pick up at least a win and a draw from their games against Brown Clee (tomorrow) and Wellington Amateurs Reserves (Wednesday).
Anything less than three points would set up a final day winner-takes-all showdown against current leaders Ketley Bank on May 8.
Town also have a Insight Ron Jones Memorial Cup final against Ludlow Town Reserves to look forward to.
Manager Richard Priest said they were taking one game at a time.
He said: “Its an old cliché but we have to concentrate on the next game and make sure we prepare properly like we have done all season.
“We really could do without it going down to the last game at home, especially with the presentation on the day itself.
“Nothing would be worse than watching Ketley lift the league title at our home ground.”
Town were in scintillating form to turn the county football hierarchy on its head and win the Junior Cup at the Prostar Stadium this week.
Callum Muir set Newport on their way after just three minutes. And Newport were 2-0 up on the half hour when Nathan Holloway beat the Ellesmere keeper Lee Davis to the ball and squeezed his shot in at the near post.
That brought Ellesmere’s second string to life, and they were back in the game on 33 minutes when Tim Allen scuffed a shot past Neil Hendy. But Town skipper Handley hammered home a penalty on 40 minutes to restore the two goal advantage.
Ellesmere had to wait until the 89th minute before substitute Matt Swift headed in Sam Thomas’ corner to make it 3-2. But as Rangers pushed to take the tie to extra time, Newport struck on the counter attack, through replacement striker Christian Slade.
Priest said: “The best team on the night won. It was always tense but we deserved to get over the line.”
Town were held to a 1-1 draw at FC Hodnet last weekend, Handley with the visitors’ goal from the penalty spot.
By Sean Wozencroft
