North Ferriby celebrate winning the FA Trophy
North Ferriby United lifted the FA Trophy after beating Conference Premier side Wrexham 5-4 on penalties after an unbelievable turnaround at Wembley.
The Villagers had to claw themselves back from two goals down with 15 minutes left on the clock to force extra-time in an epic final.
They then took the lead in extra time before another Wrexham strike sank Ferriby’s hearts in the final minutes of extra-time to level the game at 3-3.
But Billy Heath’s men regrouped and held their nerve in the shootout, with goalkeeper Adam Nicklin once again the hero as he saved the winning penalty to send the visiting crowd into jubilation.
The Villagers started the day as huge underdogs, with an entire division and 18 places separating them and professionals Wrexham.
It seems remarkable that a village with the population of around 4000 were supported by over 3000 fans, with Wrexham having almost five times as many supporters on the day.
Many of the travelling fans had made the journey to Wembley some 18 years ago, when Ferriby lost the 1997 FA Vase final to Whitby Town, but this time they did not return to Grange Lane empty handed.
The fans who made the 450 mile round trip from Ferriby were treated to a spectacular game with twists and turns, a six goal frenzy and a nerve wracking penalty shootout.
After a bright start, it was Wrexham who took the lead, the midfield combination of Joe Clarke and Connor Jennings proved too hot to handle for the Villagers, and they teed up Louis Moult who slid the ball past Nicklin to bring Billy Heath’s men back down to reality.
Ferriby responded with determination as they were not prepared to waste their Wembley visit, Danny Clarke dribbled his way into a shooting opportunity, but Wrexham goalkeeper Andy Coughlin came off his line to preserve the Welsh side’s lead.
After continued pressure, Jason St Juste, who chose to miss St Kitts and Nevis’s World Cup qualifier against the Turks and Caicos Islands so he could play for the Villagers, led the charge on the left hand side.
He forced a save from Coughlin after cutting inside, and Blaine Hudson cleared his line as Wrexham held on going into half time.
After an end-to-end start to the second-half, the first real chance for either side came after 51 minutes. Jennings rounded Nicklin, and seemed certain to double the lead only for Danny Hone to clear off the line and save Nicklin’s blushes.
But on the hour mark, the Dragons doubled their lead. Jay Harris slotted a shot past Nicklin after Sam Topliss gave him too much space on the wing, and the Villagers seemed as good as out of the tie.
The Villagers fought back and Billy Heath urged his side to not go down without a fight, and that they didn’t.
With 15 minutes on the clock, the Villagers were handed a lifeline, Danny Clarke was sent tumbling after Coughlin fouled him in the area, and the referee awarded the penalty.
Skipper Liam King, the man whose penalty in the semi-final against Bath sent them here in the first place, stepped up.
He scored in style with no doubt the most important kick of the club’s history and Ferriby may have been down, but were certainly not out.
With five minutes left, Ryan Kendall sent the travelling supporters into a frenzy after he tapped in a low cross from Jason St Juste, as Ferriby had made a fantastic comeback.
On a high, the Villagers went and searched for the winner, and Clarke came close to scoring perhaps the greatest goal in Wembley history.
He curled a shot with his left foot from 25 yards out, but Coughlin saved with his fingertips, as the game was brought back to life and headed into extra-time.
At the end of the second-half of extra time, Ferriby defied the odds and remarkably took the lead. Jason St Juste, as he did all game, provided the ball in and super-sub Kendall headed home past an on looking Coughlin.
Ferriby hung on until the final three minutes of extra-time when Moult scored a superb volley for Wrexham.
So to penalties it went.
Liam King, Nathan Jarman and Matt Wilson scored for the Villagers from the spot, while Jason St Juste and Tom Denton had their penalties saved.
Then up stepped substitute Nathan Peat, who hammered home his penalty as Ferriby had taken the advantage in the shoot-out.
All Nicklin had to do was save Steve Tomassen’s penalty. And once again he was the hero as he got a huge palm on his shot to make Ferriby the 2015 FA Trophy champions.
Both sides didn’t deserve to go home empty handed, but after such a relentless comeback from North Ferriby, it seemed almost impossible to stop their determination to lift the trophy.
North Ferriby United manager Billy Heath:
“To be honest, at 2-0 I thought that was probably it. But once we got a goal back with Liam’s penalty we took control. The players were tremendous and there only looked likely to be one winner after we equalised.
”The players did me, themselves and the Club proud Adam Nicklin will make the headlines but they were all heroes today.”
North Ferriby United: Nicklin, Topliss, Wilde (Peat 89), King, Wilson, Hone, Clarke, Fry (Kendall 80), Denton, Bolder (Jarman 61), St Juste. Subs unused: Nicholson, Gray.
Referee: Michael Oliver
Attendance: 14,585
Man of the Match: Jason St Juste