Sholing FC will play at Wembley for the first time in their history after a six-goal thriller against Eastbourne United in the second leg of the FA Vase Semi-Final.
With the scores tied 2-2 after the first leg, the Southampton-based club stormed into a three-goal lead after 41 minutes.
Eastbourne United 2-4 Sholing FC
FA Carlsberg Vase
Semi-final second leg
The Oval
Saturday 4 April 2014
Sholing win 6-4 on aggregate and will play West Auckland at Wembley Stadium on 10 May
Sholing to receive £17,000 from The FA prize fund
An own goal from Wes Tate followed by goals from Mike Carter and Byron Mason left the hosts shellshocked at the Oval ground.
But Simon Rowland's men produced a spirit comeback to reduce the deficit to one goal thanks to strikes from Matt MacLean and Joe Dryer early in the second period.
It set up a pulsating final 20 minutes but Eastbourne United's desperation to find an equaliser left them exposed in defence.
Nick Watts ended United's dream turnaround three minutes from time to set up Sholing's first Wembley visit.
After the first leg of the Semi-Final ended 2-2 in Southampton, both sides entered the game knowing they were equally matched.
But it did not seem the case in the first half of the return leg as Sholing's attack tore apart their opponents.
Mason's eighth-minute corner was met by Marc Diaper and his headed effort cruelly deflected off Tate to send goalkeeper Grant Young the wrong way.
Sholing boss Dave Diaper's game plan to attack with pace from the start caused their opponents to freeze under pressure as Carter made it 2-0 after 25 minutes.
Carter collected Lee Wort's pass on the edge of the United box and shot at Young. The keeper should have done better but could not prevent the ball finding the net.
Eastbourne United's fans were forced into stunned silence as Sholing went for the kill.
Four minutes before half-time the East Sussex side failed to clear a corner and the ball found the Sholing captain free in the box. Mason drilled the ball past Young into the far corner.
Rowland got stuck into his side during the interval and substituted off Scott Dartnall for Jason Taylor. With his side three down and 5-2 down on aggregate, they had nothing to lose.
An early goal for the East Sussex side was what Rowland would have been desperate for and it came 11 minutes after the restart. Tate's cross was headed back across goal by Jack Divall who found MacLean who headed in from close range.
Sholing's nerves were severely tested after Dryer cut the deficit to one goal on 67 minutes.
Ashley Robinson's free-kick rebounded straight to the influential Tate whose long-range effort was parried by goalkeeper Matt Brown straight to Dryer who bundled the ball across the line.
An anxious last quarter of the match began with Eastbourne United desperately looking for an equaliser. An effort from Divall whistled just past the post but with time running out Sholing made the game safe.
Sholing countered from the right flank through substitute Lewis Fennemore who crossed to Wort, forcing a terrific block from Luke Denton. But it was not enough as Watts picked up the loose ball and sent his side to Wembley.
They will face West Auckland Town in the final after the County Durham side overcame St Andrews 2-1 in the other Semi-Final.
