ELTON Vale failed to cap a promotion-winning season with the Murray Shield after losing 3-1 in the final against East Manchester.

After finishing the season second in Manchester League Division One behind East Manchester, Elton Vale went into Friday's final at Hyde United as underdogs.

And they started as such, with East dominating the opening exchanges.

Vale resorted to an uncharacteristic long-ball game, but their forwards were starved of service as the East defenders comfortably dealt with the barrage.

Elton fell behind on 20 minutes when centre-forward Sam Jones latched on to a through ball and picked his spot past keeper Curtis Hickman.

Worse was to follow before the break with East’s captain Joe Nield foraging forward from full-back to twice get on the scoresheet.

Nield's first goal came from a deflected cross, which he squeezed in off the upright.

The second was a disaster for the Elton defence when several attempts to clear a bouncing ball in the goalmouth finally landed in the path of the East skipper's path 10 yards from goal.

Elton's only effort of the first half came just before the break when Rick Young hit the bar with a shot from 18 yards.

They managed to put East under more pressure in the second half, and were rewarded when Robin Greenwood pulled a goal back with a volley.

Stuart Mercer then had a goal-bound shot pushed over and the East goalkeeper dealt well with a Greenwood free-kick before Mercer's shot was stopped on the line.