JOHNNY HUNT hit the winning penalty as Wrexham beat Grimsby Town in a thrilling FA Trophy final at Wembley.
Andy Cook put Grimsby ahead with his 13th goal of the season, and his fifth goal in Grimsby’s FA Trophy run, but Kevin Thornton scored from the spot to take it to extra time.
Grimsby keeper James McKeown produced heroics in the extra periods to take it to penalties but after missing their first two penalties, it was too much to recover from for the Mariners.
Wrexham scored all four of their spot kicks to take the Trophy back to Wales, with Hunt scoring the winner to send the travelling fans into raptures.
The action was back and forth early on and Grimsby centre-back Shaun Pearson went close after 11 minutes, rising highest to win Sam Hatton’s flighted free-kick but his header went a yard wide.
Ten minutes later, a careless pass from Ian Miller gave the ball to Kevin Thornton who in tun fed Jay Harris. The midfielder used quick feet to get away from a couple of defenders before his left-footed strike from the edge of the box went narrowly over.
Wrexham began taking charge with the midfield three of Thornton, Harris and Dean Keates dictating the tempo.
And Harris again had a chance from the edge of the box after Hunt’s cross was half-cleared. However, his volley was dragged well wide.
The Red Dragons had a fantastic chance early in the second half following goalkeeper Chris Maxwell’s long clearance.
With the ball looking over-hit, Mariners keeper McKeown came to collect before slipping on the Wembley turf.
Andy Morrell got to the ball first but credit to McKeown as the stopper recovered to deny the player-manager before saving Thornton’s attempt shortly after.
And they had an even better chance just minutes later. Stephen Wright’s corner dropped in between three Grimsby defenders and fell to Danny Wright but when calmness was needed, the striker snatched at the effort and dragged it wide from six-yards out.
With the Red Dragons firmly on top, the Mariners brought Andi Thanoj on for striker Ross Hannah to move to a 4-5-1 formation and shore up their midfield.
And it almost paid instant dividends as Andy Cook was played through by Joe Colbeck but the striker’s effort was curled just wide with the offside flag raised to spare his blushes.
The Mariners continued to creep into the game with Pearson heading over from a corner.
But the Welsh club came back and again should have taken the lead with just over 20 minutes to play. Hunt was played down the left by Cieslewicz and his cross found veteran Brett Ormerod in the middle but the former Blackpool man saw his header fly over the bar without testing McKeown.
Missing chances in football often comes back to bite you and that’s exactly what happened in the 70th minute. Skipper Craig Disley released Colbeck down the right, he pulled back to Cook who saw his first shot brilliantly saved by Maxwell but the keeper couldn’t keep out Cook’s second attempt.
Grimsby began to drop deep and Cieslewicz went close with ten minutes to go, seeing his drilled effort from the edge of the box saved down low by McKeown.
The pressure paid off just two minutes later, Wrexham captain Dean Keates was felled by Pearson in the penalty area and Thornton coolly sent McKeown the wrong way from the spot for his fifth of the campaign. It marked the Red Dragons’ first goal against Grimsby this season in their third clash.
Harris went close to winning it in normal time, seeing a 30-yard effort from a lay-off by Thornton well saved by McKeown.
But to extra time we went and Cieslewicz almost stole the headlines with a volley from 30-yards after taking the ball down brilliantly on his chest.
Fortunately for the Mariners, McKeown was alert and stopped the speculative effort with his right hand before collecting the ball.
And it was than man McKeown again who denied the Red Dragons a winner in the second period. Cieslewicz traded passes with Harris before curling an effort towards the far post that McKeown kept out.
But the best was still to come. Sub Robert Ogleby got down the right, put a low cross into the box that found Danny Wright but the striker’s volley on the turn from 10-yards out was somehow turned onto the post by the superb McKeown to force penalties.
Wrexham won the toss and had the penalties taken in front of their travelling contingent. Cieslewicz put the Red Dragons in front before Hatton was denied by the post. Danny Wright calmly extended the lead and substitute Richard Brodie then made it two misses from two for the Mariners after putting his effort over the bar.
Centre-half Chris Westwood made it 3-0 but Colbeck pulled one back to allow Hunt to hit the winner. The youngster duly obliged to make Wrexham FA Trophy winners.
GRIMSBY TOWN: 4-4-2: McKeown; Hatton, Pearson, Miller, Thomas; Colbeck, Disley, Artus, Marshall (Brodie 87); Hannah (Thanoj 56), Cook. Subs not used: Devitt, Wood, John-Lewis
WREXHAM: 4-3-3: Maxwell; S Wright, Riley, Westwood, Hunt; Keates, Thornton (Clarke 88), Harris; Morrell (Cieslewicz 61), Ormerod (Ogleby 77), D Wright. Subs not used: Coughlin, Little
Attendance: 35,266
Referee: Jonathan Moss
Star man: James McKeown (Grimsby)
Entertainment rating: 4/5
Grimsby Town Wrexham
4 Shots On 10
5 Shots Off 9
4 Corners 9
3 Offsides 2
9 Fouls 9
0 Yellows 1
0 Reds 0
