MORE used to being underdogs, Ilfracombe Town found the favourites tag suited them in the most significant game in the club's history.

Described by one newspaper as "big guns" on Saturday – surely the first time that has happened – Combe, of the Toolstation Western League premier division, dealt effectively with a spirited performance from first division side Cadbury Heath.

Two goals from Shaun Lewis and an 80th-minute clincher by Steve Holland gave them a 3-1 win in the Les Phillips Cup final, allowing James Mayne to become the first Ilfracombe captain to pick up a trophy outside of North Devon football.

There were a few scares along the way, not least when Matt Downing appeared to clip Will De Wet's heels as he sprinted into the penalty area in the first half and when Steve Oliver touched a close-range Toby Colbourne shot on to the bar at 2-1.

But an Ilfracombe win seemed the most likely result from the moment Lewis gave them the lead in the 45th minute. Neil Bettiss and Mayne both got their heads to Downing's corner and Combe's top scorer did the rest.

"I just swivelled it in," said Lewis. "It was a case of get something on it and get your name on the scoresheet."

He might have been joining Ross Middleton on it had the midfielder's earlier shot not smacked against the crossbar.

Cadbury equalised 12 minutes into the second half when a corner evaded Oliver, Colbourne headed the ball towards goal and Joe Chandler nodded it in.

They were level for just five minutes though, as Leon Taswell flicked on an Oliver kick, freeing Lewis to lob the bouncing ball over Cadbury keeper Simon Crawford.

"The second goal I was really pleased with but, to be honest, I didn't think about it," said the striker.

"The keeper made my mind up for me when he was on his way out. I knew that if I got it high enough it would go in."

Ilfracombe stood firm in a crucial three-minute spell that saw Colbourne denied by both Oliver's fingertips and a fine tackle by Bettiss, and Scott Huxtable block a Nick Dyer header on the goal-line.

Holland put the result beyond doubt ten minutes from time.

After Mike Hedden had won the ball in midfield, the winger scampered from the right flank into the heart of the Cadbury defence, rode a final tackle and threaded a shot between Crawford's right hand and the post for his sixth goal in eight games.

With that, the heavens opened to further dampen Cadbury's spirits. And while it rained on Ilfracombe's parade, there were no complaints.

"We were absolutely over the moon, it was a good day," said Lewis, who has scored 36 goals in two seasons since returning to the club from a season with Bideford.

"It is the first medal I have won at that standard and it meant a lot to me.

"I'm happy to be playing at Combe now, they're a brilliant bunch of lads."