Boss Luke Williams was once left dumbfounded through how Notts County beat Chesterfield in a penalty shootout to win the Nationwide League promotion ultimate.
A John Bostock free-kick despatched the sport to difference day when Andrew Dallas’ penalty had seemed plethora to earn Chesterfield victory.
Ruben Rodrigues ensured it will be determined through spot-kicks when he nearest forbidden out Armando Dobra’s objective.
“I can’t comprehend it, I’m lost,” Williams informed BBC Radio Nottingham.
“It’s incredible, I have no idea what’s going on.
“I’ve discovered that once those guys appear to be they’re accomplished, they aren’t – they’ve any other roll of the cube.”
Notts won promotion in dramatic circumstances despite leading for just one minute in their two play-off games, which included trailing in the final from the fifth minute and defeating Boreham Wood in the semi-final with a goal in the last minute of extra time a week earlier.
Victory in the Wembley showdown to reclaim their mantle as ‘world’s oldest football league club’ capped off a record-breaking season.
The 107 points they amassed to finish second in the table would have earned them automatic promotion in every season except this one, with Wrexham’s National League record 111 points getting them up as champions.
While prolific Magpie Macaulay Langstaff was unable to add to his National League record 42 goals for the season in the play-offs, he spearheaded Notts’ promotion bid, which included a club record 32 league wins and 117 goals.
‘A global of pressure’
In the end it came down to spot-kicks, with substitute goalkeeper Archie Mair, who was brought on in place of Sam Slocombe late in extra time, pulling off two saves.
John Bostock then had the chance to win it only to hit the bar with his attempt at a Panenka, before Cedwyn Scott sealed the victory.
Scott’s successful effort helped banish the memories of his late penalty miss in Notts’ defeat at Wrexham last month, a result that proved key in the automatic promotion race.
“You might be simply in an international of pressure,” Williams stated of the feelings of the sport.
“I don’t assume I had a age of delight till Cedwyn’s penalty crossed the sequence.”
‘Mad Notts weren’t already promoted’
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook dinner stated the Spireites “haven’t any regrets concerning the recreation” and added that it was “lunatic” that Notts had not already gone up, with just the one automatic promotion spot up for grabs in England’s fifth tier.
Cook’s side led the division in September but ended up third in the table, a distant 23 points behind Notts as they were unable to keep up with the pace set by Wrexham and the Magpies.
“I’ve to congratulate Notts County on an magnificient yr, to get the volume of issues they’d and no longer move up [automatically] is an actual fritter away,” Cook dinner stated.
“It is a very aggressive, just right league, with a accumulation of excellent managers, coaches and groups in it. The way it’s handiest been allowed to have one staff move up robotically is simply lunatic. It’s an absolute carrying shame.
“Notts County should have gone up automatically without a doubt. Today we came here and we have no regrets about the game – we have done our best.”
