Glasshoughton Welfare joint managers Craig Wilkinson and Simon Houghton
Glasshoughton Welfare will return to the scene of one their greatest triumphs on Saturday.
Glasshoughton visit AFC Emley for the first time since winning promotion to the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division there nearly three years ago.
Welfare went into the final day clash knowing it was a win would guarantee promotion as the other two contenders Handsworth and Worksop Parramore were playing each other.
It didn’t totally go to plan as Emley led 2-0 until the 68th minute when an own goal brought Welfare back into it.
Steven Bennett, now back playing for Glasshoughton, then propelled them into the top flight with the equaliser and last minute winner.
Current joint manager Simon Houghton, who was Craig Elliott’s assistant that season, said: “It was a rollercoaster because we were 2-0 down and we looked dead and buried.
“We obviously knew what was happening between Handsworth and Worksop and we needed a point so we got the message out.
“We did look gone though, but I think Andy Seed and Steven Bennett coming on turned the game.
“It was a great day and I know how much hard work went in that season to get us promoted.
“You couldn’t really write how we managed to do it. To win promotion with one of the last kicks of the season, it is like something out of an American sports film.”
Glasshoughton were always in the promotion mix during the campaign, but their hopes appeared over with four games remaining after a heavy defeat to Rossington Main.
Their promotion push was re-ignited with a 3-1 victory over eventual champions Handsworth. Grimsby were then thrashed 9-1 which proved to be vital as it gave Welfare an edge on goals-difference.
The fight was taken to the final day as Welfare sensationally won 1-0 at Handsworth – despite playing with ten man for over 80 minutes as Chris Hitchings was sent off.
Josh Corbett scored the sensational long range strike to win it in the last minute.
Glasshoughton then did the rest on the last day at Emley.
“It was a good season and we had a strong team which would have been strong in the Premier Division if it had stayed together,” Houghton added.
“During the promotion season, we always stayed in there.
“We thought it wasn’t going to be our year after we lost to Rossington, but the Grimsby game changed it all.
“We had half a side out and all our attackers in midfield, but we needed a big score because we were behind Handsworth and Worksop on goals difference.
“We beat Grimsby 9-1 so the goal difference situation completed changed and we closed the gap on points.”