The New Saints complete comeback to lift the Welsh Cup

Trailing 2-0 after just 12 minutes, the newly crowned Welsh Premier champions looked out of sorts as they struggled to make any impression in the first half against an Aber side chasing their first cup triumph in 114 years.

But they pulled the game out of the fire with three goals late in the second period, Draper scoring twice before Mike Wilde applied the knockout blow three minutes from time as the Saints completed a league and cup double for the second time in three years.

As well as Draper, two other substitutes, Jamie Mullan and Simon Spender, also played a key role in a stirring fightback.

TNS started brightly enough, with Ryan Fraughan splitting the defence with a terrific pass for Wilde who broke down the right before crossing for Matty Williams – his first-time strike from eight yards was blocked by the covering defence.

Aber keeper Mike Lewis, passed fit before the game after struggling with a hamstring strain, punched clear a Chris Marriott free-kick before saving well from Kai Edwards' 25-yard volley. But the Saints were stunned in the 10th minute when former TNS man Craig Williams swung a free-kick into the box from the right, Stuart Jones got his head to the ball and the league's Golden Boot winner, Chris Venables, volleyed home from six yards.

Worse followed two minutes later when Sam Finley was ruled to have tripped Mark Jones in the box and Venables crashed the resulting spot-kick into the roof of the net.

Another Williams free-kick caused uncertainty but Stuart Jones' header was comfortably held by Paul Harrison in goal.

Phil Baker fired well over the bar from distance in the 33rd minute as TNS continued to struggle. But they found some attacking enterprise when Fraughan jinked his way around the defence and squared for Finley, whose low shot was well smothered by Lewis.

Little had gone right for the league champions in the first half but, as a sign of intent, the players were out early for second half with renewed purpose.

Defender Stuart Jones was a towering presence in the heart of the Aber defence while Lewis was proving solid in goal. He pulled off a smart save to hold Wilde's header from Fraughan's cross on 55 minutes.

Aber had some good fortune when Peter Hoy appeared to handle a cross from substitute Mullan in the 70th minute.

But three minutes later, the Saints got back into the game when Hoy was this time penalised for handling another Mullan cross from the left byline, and Draper made no mistake from the spot.

With the Saints pushing higher upfield, Aber were still a threat on the break, Kellaway foiled by some covering defence from Venables' inviting right-wing cross into the goalmouth

But TNS had the bit between their teeth, playing with increasing urgency, and were back on terms five minutes later when Chris Marriott whipped a contested free-kick into the goalmouth from the right and Draper was at the back post to head home.

The New Zealand striker then had a chance of a hat-trick but fired into the side-netting after being put clear down the right flank.

But a third goal did arrive in the 87th minutes when Wilde neatly volleyed home after Spender had crossed from the right.

Aber were still not finished, Stuart Jones heading wide from a long throw-in by Hoy in the dying seconds – the final play of an excellent final fittingly played out by the two highest scorers in the Welsh Premier this season.

Wales manager Chris Coleman was on hand to present the trophy to the victorious Saints at the final whistle, leaving Aber to reflect on what might have been after having the famous piece of silverware in their grasp.