BRENT Peters re-united the Rossendale valley with the North West Counties League Challenge Cup last night after a 10-year separation.

He repeated the feat of 1994 when he was in charge of Rossendale United, as his current team Bacup Borough saw off Newcastle Town in the final at Southport.

And they did it in some style too as a wonderful Karl Stanley strike and two tidy second half finishes from Stuart Telfer clinched the 3-0 victory.

Peters said: "The lads rose to the occasion, they dug in and played some good football. I'm proud of them, they've been brilliant.

"Last season we were champions of the Second Division and in our first season in the First Division we've won the cup. They've been absolutely tremendous."

No-one can dispute that Bacup deserve their triumph, especially after disposing of league champions-elect Clitheroe on their own ground in the quarter-finals then smashing seven past Warrington in the two legs of their semi-final.

And with a sunny evening and silky smooth pitch that was more akin to a bowls match, their free-flowing football flourished once again at Haig Avenue.

Stanley's mazy run ended with a shot dragged wide but, having lined up his target, he then hit it with bullseye precision in the 16th minute as his 20-yard drive arced beautifully into the side netting.

There were scares at the opposite end as Shaun Cryer hacked off the line from Paul Kiely and David Felgate scrambled to save Daryl Wilkes's header.

But nerves were calmed in the 53rd minute when Steve Stott found Telfer and he nudged it past Scott Bentley for a sublime second.

Bacup started to enjoy themselves, none more so than Emmett, who forced Bentley to fumble a 30-yard drive then created the third in the 67th minute with a chip to the far post which Telfer nodded in for his second.

Emmett tried to turn the clock back 10 years, when he scored the winning goal in the final for Rossendale, but Bentley's two smart saves blocked his path down memory lane.

However, when Stott held the cup aloft, the sweet celebrations soon came flooding back and the shower of champagne in the dressing room signalled another sweet season of silverware at West View.

BACUP: Felgate, Anderson, Stanley, Kershaw, Cryer, Taylor, Telfer, Emmett, Wilkinson, Stott, Foster (Peters 87). Subs not used: Gilchrist, Edwards.

NEWCASTLE: Bentley, Woodvine (Stokes 57), Banks, Gillick, Diskin, Sandeman (Miller 57), Beasley (Bott 69), Lennon, Kiely, Parkinson.

BACUP BOROUGH 3

Stanley 16, Telfer 53, 67

NEWCASTLE TOWN 0