Reaching Wembley is 'just nuts', says Great Wakering Rovers goalkeeper
The players and staff of Great Wakering Rovers are still struggling to come to terms with their achievement after reaching the FA Vase final at Wembley.
The Essex Senior League (ESL) side beat Worcester 5-4 on penalties after the two-legged semi-final ended 2-2.
And they will now take on Romford at the national stadium on 11 May in an all-ESL final.
"I've never experienced anything like this in my life before," goalkeeper Luis Shamshoum told BBC Essex Sport.
Having lost the first leg 1-0 at Worcester - who famously knocked Coventry City out of the FA Cup 10 years ago - Jake Gordon and Max Gnandi scored Great Wakering's goals at Burroughs Park to take the semi-final to penalties.
And Palestine international Shamshoum then saved from Chris Knight in front of a crowd of about 1,500 to secure their passage to Wembley.
"When I saved the pen, I was literally on my knees crying. It's incredible, I can't believe it. It's just nuts," he said.
"I went the wrong way for every single one apart from the one I saved. I wasn't really going in with much confidence but it hit my hand, I think it caught me in the face as well.
"This is everyone's moment, we'll never forget this for the rest of our lives."
Great Wakering entered the competition in the first qualfying round and won 5-2 at Basildon United.
Since then, they have beaten Buckhurst Hill, St Neots Town, Downham Town, Fakenham Town, Whitchurch Alport, Highworth Town, Falmouth Town and finally Worcester, and are one win away from becoming the first Essex side to lift the Vase trophy since Stansted in 1984.
Manager Marcus Bowers described their performance against Worcester as "not brilliant but we stuck at it".
He told BBC Essex Sport: "What a feeling. We've been the underdog in every round. Everyone had written us off.
"Worcester are a class side but I thought they'd find it hard to play on this [pitch] and they did.
"Little Wakering Rovers going to Wembley, it's crazy, it just doesn't feel like it should ever happen but it's happening."
The other semi-final was equally tight with Romford - who are second in ESL Premier, five places above Great Wakering - prevailing 10-9 on penalties against Lincoln United after their tie also ended 2-2 on aggregate.
"It's the first time we've achieved something like this and for Essex as well, we've now got two teams in the final. Essex should be proud," said Great Wakering president Roy Ketteridge.
"We've got lots of league fixtures to play because of our run in the cup and the weather. I think we're going to be playing Saturday-Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday from now on, but we'll try and have a bit of a rest before Wembley."
