FA Trophy: Nicklin is the hero as Ferriby reach Wembley

Adam Nicklin produced two saves to put North Ferriby on the way to a penalty shoot-out victory over Bath City that booked a place in the FA Trophy final at Wembley against Wrexham .
North Ferriby United players and fans celebrate their penalty shoot-out victory over Bath (Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe).North Ferriby United players and fans celebrate their penalty shoot-out victory over Bath (Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe).
North Ferriby United players and fans celebrate their penalty shoot-out victory over Bath (Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe).

For manager Billy Heath it was the perfect 44th birthday present, but he admitted it had been hard work as his side had to come from behind and also had a man sent off in extra-time.

“We never do things the easy way,” he said. “We gave ourselves a bit of a mountain to climb by conceding early. It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but over the two games we deserved to win.”

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Ferriby went to Wembley in 1997 in the FA Vase final and chairman Les Hare said: “We are only the fourth club to reach both finals and that is a remarkable achievement.”

Having let Bath come from two down to force a draw when the sides first met, it looked as though Ferriby might have missed their chance to reach the March 29 
final when Nick McCootie, the man who equalised seven days before, scored with a free header in the second minute.

Ferriby fought their way back, but were denied by good goalkeeping and the woodwork and it was not until the 65th minute that they got the breakthrough.

Former Huddersfield Town prospect Tom Denton was hauled down in the area and referee David Webb pointed to the spot; captain Liam King stepped up to drive home the penalty.

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Both sides had chances but the game went into a nervy period of extra-time, which was only 10 minutes old when Russ Fry picked up a second yellow card.

Despite some close shaves, Ferriby survived to force the shoot-out and up stepped Nicklin to push away Bath’s first two efforts.

King, Nathan Jarman and Adam Bolder kept their nerve to give Ferriby a 3-2 lead and when Jason St Juste clinched it with their fourth, the home fans in the 1,871 crowd invaded the Grange Lane pitch in joy.

North Ferriby United: Nicklin, Topliss, Wilde, King, Anderson (Wilson 111), Hone, Clarke (Bolder 120), Fry, Denton, Kendal (Jarman 81), St Juste. Unused substitutes: Nicholson, Peat.

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Bath City: Mellor, Simpson, Gallinagh, Walsh, Ball, Hemmings (Kingston 118), Bowman (Stearn 75), Adelsbury, Pratt, McCootie (Watkins 64), Artus. Unused substitutes: Keary, Allen.

Referee: D Webb (County Durham).

Man of the match: Adam Nicklin.

Second-half goals from Louis Moult and Kieron Morris (2) ensured former Football League club Wrexham are going back to Wembley two years after their first FA Trophy triumph. The Welsh side won 3-0 at Torquay United to go through 5-1 on aggregate.