NPL Division One East
Wayne Benn loved the scenes of jubilation that greeted James Walshaw’s 93rd minute winner for Ossett United in the slaying of North East giants Stockton Town.
Walshaw pounced to propel Ossett into second place, minutes after Stockton had kick-started a pulsating finale after scoring a late equaliser.
“The best wins are the ones where you score very late,” Benn told Non League Yorkshire.
“It is cruel for the opposing team but I genuinely feel if we had come away with one point it would have been a travesty.
“It is magnificent to see the reaction – the fans, the noise, the camaraderie.
“There’s players who have been brought off sprinting onto the pitch.
“I know it can sound a bit over-board but every win at this level is very hard to come by and you have to embrace them and enjoy these wins,
“There was nearly 400 people here on a Tuesday night and it shows the potential of the club.
“Fans will support you when they see you putting in 100% and I think they’ve seen that tonight in abundance.
“We massively deserved the three points.
“I thought we were outstanding from start to the finish.
“Stockton are a good side who move the ball well if you allow them to.
“They have got threats up the pitch and their goal is the first real attack on goal.
“To concede so late after putting so much effort and being so organised, you’re feeling a bit sick for the lads.
“Stockton are going to have a good season so it is a good result.”
Despite the narrow score-line, Ossett were the better side over 90 minutes and Benn felt his men had a point to prove following the recent FA Cup exit at Stockton.
“All the North East sides are good sides and Stockton proved that in the FA Cup two weeks ago,” he said.
“In that game we never really gave a proper account of ourselves and we never turned up and lost with a bit of a whimper.
“I think the lads wanted to right that wrong tonight and I think they have done that and some.
“I don’t think any spectator, Ossett, Stockton or neutral, can deny that we deserved to win that game.”
The Ingfielders didn’t mess about either as on-loan York City striker Reon Potts fired them ahead in the first minute.
Benn was impressed with his performance along with Walshaw’s but he felt it was unfair to single out one individual.
“Reon has come from York City and he scored two on Saturday,” he said.
“He’s had to adapt to this level of football and he’s doing great.
“We changed the system a little bit tonight and him and Wally proved a real handful to the Stockton defenders.
“That’s the difference from the first game.
“We never caused the Stockton defenders any real issues so that was a bit of a focus tonight in the game-plan.
“But there were many outstanding performances.
“It is wrong to pick anyone out.
“I thought there were 11 magnificent performances and three magnificent performances from the bench.”