Overjoyed Carlisle boss Paul Simpson was happy for his players to head out and enjoy a beer following their dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout win over Stockport in the Sky Bet League Two play-off final.
After the Wembley showdown ended 1-1 after 120 minutes, the Cumbrians held their nerve to score five faultless spot-kicks to seal promotion and return to League One after nine years away.
“I’m delighted for all the players,” said Simpson. “They’ve shown the desire to really dig in during that second half, because we had to earn the right to take it all the way.
“We had to hang in there a little bit, but I’m so pleased we’ve stuck at it and taken the game all the way.
“We’ve done that all season, and to be honest that began on June 22 last year when we started pre-season.
“Someone has said we were eighth favourites to go down but, after this, I’m just so unbelievably proud of the group, the whole football club, and of course the supporters.
“I’ve lost all my previous games at Wembley so I felt that run couldn’t continue too much longer, but this day is going to be right up there.
“We’ve probably overachieved in securing promotion, and I have to say I didn’t really expect this at the end of this season, but again credit to the players for their efforts.
“We’ve always had the belief but wow, we’re in for a really good night now.
“The players and the supporters have earned a beer.”
It proved to be a tightly contested, energy-sapping first half amid summery conditions at Wembley.
Stockport held the advantage at the break thanks to a touch of fortune when Isaac Olaofe’s cross flicked off Jon Mellish’s boot before looping into the far corner.
However, Carlisle substitute Omari Patrick’s drilled finish in the 84th minute sent the tie into extra-time.
After Ryan Rydel’s sole penalty miss in the shootout proved decisive, last season’s Vanarama National League champions Stockport missed out on back-to-back promotions.
Boss Dave Challinor has urged his talented squad to learn from the heartbreaking defeat.
“I wasn’t too surprised that the game was so tight, but obviously it’s a really disappointing way to lose,” he said.
“We’ve gone through all the emotions over the last week – winning on penalties against Salford and then this – but we have to learn from days like today.
“We have to learn from it and take all the positives we can.
“It’s not a nice feeling, but we have to use this feeling to motivate us for what will be a different prospect in League Two next season.”
Challinor felt huge sympathy for youngster Rydel, who has otherwise enjoyed a terrific season at Edgeley Park.
“He’ll just have to learn from the experience,” added the County boss.
“We’re all gutted for him, but anyone can miss a penalty in that situation.
“Better players than Ryan have missed pressure penalties like that, and you have to say that all the other nine were pretty much perfect so that’s just how it goes sometimes.
“Ryan has got to use this as a driving factor for his future career.
“It’s an important experience he has to go through, but he’s a great lad and he’ll get over it.”
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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