A return to the squad for Denis Spiteri , Luke Palmer and Lee Morris but Mike Binning , Mike Aviss , Matt Pimm , Luke Fernquest and Matt Currie were all unavailable .
The game started at a decent pace and Llanwern edged the opening skirmishes with what seemed a hungrier attitude and the lions ahare of possesion was the home sides . Neither keeper was troubled until a lack of concentration on 21 minutes brought a great one on one save from Nicky Church.
The game then turned in the space of 5 minutes when a very debatable free kick was given some 20 yards out and Church could only parry the strike into the path of a quick to react Celtic striker who made it 1-0.
Four minutes later Church rushed from his goal to challenge for a 50/50 ball and was adjudged to have deliberately handled the ball and stopped a certain goalscoring opportunity?????????? and was shown a red card by what can only be described as an official that certainly thought everybody had turned up to watch him and not a local derby match ! Striker Mike vaux had to take over between the posts and it was now going to be a real uphill struggle .
HT 0-1
Llanwern didnt change their system and just deployed Marcus Power as a solitary striker and he had to rely on living off scraps , to the home sides credit they defended stoutly but on 63 minutes Palmer was caught slightly out of position and in attempting to regain his position fouled the on rushing Celtic player in the box with a nudge in the back.
The kick was despatched for 2-0. Mr " look at me everyone " referee then sent off a ball boy for daring to tell him nobody wanted to listen to his constant ranting and playing to the crowd !!
In the 92nd minute it was 3-0 and game over.
Celtic will go up as champions and deservedly so.