FA Vase final.

North Shields 2 Glossop North End 1.

The team that was left out of the betting came from behind to win the FA Vase at Wembley on Saturday.

North Shields became the sixth winner from the Northern League in the last seven finals to win the Vase after they beat Glossop, 46 years on from when they fought back from a goal behind against Sutton United to win the FA Amateur Cup.

Ironically, Shields weren’t even included in the betting by one bookmaker until the third round, by which time they’d already played five matches in the competition, having started way back in the first qualifying round.

A Shields win also wouldn’t have been the same without a goal by striker Gareth Bainbridge, who headed Shields back into the game with his 17th goal in the competition near the end of normal time.

And just like players such as Keith Graydon, Paul Chow, Andy Bulford and Lee Kerr before him, Adam Forster has added his name to the list of Northern League matchwinners at Wembley.

Manager Graham Fenton said; “My over-riding emotion is pride, and this win means more to me as a manager than a player when I won here with Aston Villa. When you’re part of a group, you’re responsible for a lot more people. It’s been a long build up, and logistically it’s been a nightmare.

”I don’t think we played particularly well in the first half. We never got our passing game going, and never found the right angles for passes. We were tentative, and so at half time we just tried to instil some belief back into the players. We told them to believe in themselves, to go back out on the field and show everybody how good they are. They did that, and it paid off in the end.

“Once we got to 1-1, Glossop looked tired, and we kept on pushing. Denver Morris covered every blade of grass on the field.

“Gareth Bainbridge is a class act. He does things you just can’t coach, taking up the right positions at the right time. Adam Forster scored a goal that Alan Shearer would have been proud of.”

Shields are now the fifth Northern League club to win the Vase, but none of the previous four had done it in their first season in the ENL first division.

“It’s been a fantastic last 12 months and I’m hugely proud of the players. I knew that if we added more quality after we won the second division by ten points last season, we would be able to compete well. It’s hard to believe that the club has come such a long way since the dark days in the Wearside League when they played on just a park field with a rope around it.”

Shields didn’t really get going in the first half, and allowed Glossop, who won the North West Counties League, to create the better chances, with Kieran Lugsden and Tom Bailey both going close with headers.

Glossop nearly scored from their first corner on 34 minutes, when Shields keeper Chris Bannon could only palm an inswinging corner to the feet of Glossop defender Dave Young, who hooked the ball over the bar from ten yards out.

Shields nearly took the lead on 42 minutes when for the first time in the game Vase specialist Bainbridge found space to run at the Glossop defence, and forced a diving save to his left by Hall.

And at the other end a mistake by Kevin Hughes let in Kieran Lugsden, but Bannon was alert enough to block with his feet.

Shields were more confident and purposeful in the second half. Midfielder Ben Richardson created space for himself 25 yards out, and hit a right foot shot that flew over Hall but struck the crossbar.

In Shields’ next attack, Dean Holmes made good ground up the left and set up Michael McKeown, whose left foot effort was pushed over the bar by Hall.

But it was Glossop who took the lead on 54 minutes. A corner came in from the left that Shields didn’t clear, Glossop had a penalty shout when Lee Blackshaw went down under a challenge, and as Shields hesitated, Kieran Lugsden drove the ball across the six yard box for Bailey to slide home.

It was nearly 2-0 when Richardson clumsily lost possession, Bailey crossed from the right and Kieran Lugsden headed a good chance wide.

Shields took more risks, and their gamble paid off in the 80th minute. McKeown curled a corner over from the right, and Bainbridge got away from his marker to head the ball past the stranded Hall for his 17th Vase goal of the season.

Four minutes into extra time, Shields took the lead. Denver Morris, who had a good first half, made a good run down the right and crossed into the middle where Bainbridge couldn’t quite connect, but behind him was sub Adam Forster, who cleverly kept his balance and turned the ball right footed past Hall.

Bannon made a good save low down to his left to hold a low shot by Kieran Lugsden, who also volleyed wide.

Then came a big talking point that dominated the Glossop press conference later. Young crashed to the ground unconscious after an aerial challenge , prompting several players and the referee to urgently wave for assistance. Even the Glossop keeper ran 40 yards, throwing his gloves off along the way to help.

He was revived, and briefly resumed, but then referee Andy Madley waved him back off the field on the advice of the Wembley stadium doctor.

Young remonstrated with the medical team and went off for a re-assessment, but the medics were unmoved and prevented him from returning, leaving Glossop to play with ten men having used all their subs.

All Shields had to do then was to keep their nerve, although Glossop keeper Hall played the last two minutes of the game as an emergency striker.

North Shields.

Bannon, Grey, McKeown, John Parker, Hughes, Morris, Bainbridge (sub Wrightson 106), Ben Richardson, Holmes (sub Forster 68), Luccock (sub Carr 59), Donnison.

Subs not used: Coppen, Lancaster.

Glossop North End.

Hall, Bowler, Russell, Kelvin Lugsden, Young, Martin Parker, Blackshaw (sub Grimshaw 68), Hare (sub Hind 81), Bailey, Kieran Lugsden, Moran (sub White 59).

Subs not used: Benjamin Richardson, Gresty Attendance 9,674.

Referee: Andrew Madley (West Riding) Bookings: Hare (foul 49), McKeown (foul 65), Ben Richardson (foul 90+6). Kieran Lugsden (foul 103)