AT LAST! IT’S WEMBLEY BUZZ FOR HORNETS
THEY had to wait six months for this moment but ten-man Hebburn Town will never forget their colossal tussle to reach Wembley.
The Hornets swept past Plymouth Parkway 190 days ago to reach this stage for the first time in their history only to be left wondering if they’d be able to finish their business.
Was it worth the wait? Hebburn manager Kevin Bolam will have needed a lie down and a Nurofen after this epic tie that swung one way and then the next, eventually decided when Corinthian’s Louie Clarke blazed his penalty out of the ground.
“I went through every single emotion you can think of today,” he told The NLP. “But we wouldn’t be denied. We’ve gone down to ten men but still played on the front foot.
“Equalised with ten men, went ahead. Maybe for two dubious penalty decisions we would have won it in normal time. I’m proud and over the moon for the lads and everyone behind the scenes. Over the course of the 120 minutes we’ve deserved it.”
Corinthian, of the Southern Counties East League, still an amateur side, meaning none of their players get paid a penny, deserve immense credit for their part in this historic clash.
Their goalkeeper Aiden Prall was involved throughout, particularly in the first half to keep his team level.
He saved from Robbie Spence’s glancing header and then from Thomas Potter’s right-footed shot across goal.
Hebburn always looked the more likely going forward and squandered good opportunities when left-back Darren Lovey swiped a half-volley over and Graeme Armstrong also fired off-target.
Corinthian struggled to impose themselves but caught the Hebburn defence cold at the start of the second half. A long ball forward was latched onto by the tricky Anres Tobon, who beat Daniel Grove before being brought down by keeper Mark Roden as he attempted to round him. Oscar Housego stepped up and coolly struck the penalty down the middle.
Hebburn responded with Grove’s shot-cum-cross flashing along the six-yard box before Armstrong’s tame header was saved by Prall.
Corinthian were happy to sit deep and try to spring on the counter and, as Hebburn frustrations grew, substitute Oliver Martin lunged in late on Prall and was sent off by referee Adrian Quelch.
Yet the determined visitors kept the pressure on although, when Michael McKedwin’s curling free-kick was touched onto the crossbar by Prall with seven minutes to play, it looked like it wasn’t going to be their day.
However, Bolam’s side weren’t going out without a fight and when yet another cross was delivered into the Corinthian area, Bath pushed Armstrong and a penalty was awarded. Armstrong stepped up and fired into the top left corner two minutes from time.
The ten-men took the momentum into extra time where McKedwin delivered a perfect cross for Armstrong to head in for the lead.
Corinthian looked like they were out of ideas until winger Eman Oloyede drew a foul from Grove in the Hebburn box and Quelch pointed to the spot for a third time.
Centre-back Jamie Billings copied Housego’s penalty and smashed down the middle.
A date with destiny at Wembley was finally settled from the spot in a shootout with Bath scuffing his effort into the hands of Roden and then Clarke fired over to send Hebburn through and leave many of the Corinthian players and staff in tears.
“I’m incredibly proud of the players and the club as a whole,” said Hoops boss Michael Golding. “I’m heartbroken for the boys. I can’t decide whether I think we deserved more or if they deserved the result they got.
“It’s the best way to win and the worst way to lose.”
STAR MAN: Aidan Prall (Corinthian)
ATT: 300
ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★
REFEREE: Adrian Quelch