'Dedicated to you'

Ebbsfleet United's matchwinner Chris McPhee dedicated the goal that sends The FA Trophy back to Kent to his ill sister who made it to Wembley on Saturday to watch her brother in action.

McPhee explained that it had been a difficult year for his sister, who suffers from ME, and it was not certain whether she would be able to make the journey to Wembley for the game. She was there and saw her brother produce a man-of-the-match display to clinch The FA Trophy.

McPhee admitted: "My sister originally wasn't going to be coming day, because she has ME and she has had a really terrible year. She's not been able to move properly, but she made it here today and that's dedicated to her."

McPhee had missed a penalty just minutes earlier, and despite not striking the ball as he would have liked, the Ebbsfleet forward paid tribute to Martin Rice in the Torquay goal.

"Well, I'm just thinking I'll hit it straight down the middle," McPhee explained.

"He's dived to the side and I slightly mis-hit it, off centre which wasn't planned, but he's made a fantastic save.

"But the boys have shown magnificent courage, they've rallied around me and lifted me again. We've obviously got the winning goal and held on brilliantly. The team performance was magnificent."

McPhee was equally fulsome in praise for his strike partner John Akinde as he created the winning goal.

"It was a great ball from Sacha, John is a strong man and he's got himself in there. He chases lost causes and he has won it back for us, then put it on a plate for me and I can't miss from there.

"We've won the Trophy and it's a magnificent afternoon, not just for the players but the management and all the fans who have travelled up from Kent to support us."

Ebbsfleet manager Liam Daish paid tribute to his players as they surged to a fantastic victory at Wembley.

"It's not sunk in yet," Daish revealed. "What a great performance from everyone, I just can't fault the players for their determination and I think we deserved that today.

"I wouldn't say we were in total control, but we have fought very hard and I've got the utmost respect and admiration for my players."

Ebbsfleet United: 1 Lance Cronin, 2 Peter Hawkins, 3 Sacha Opinel, 5 James Smith, 6 Paul McCarthy (c), 8 Stacy Long (4 Gary McDonald 84), 12 Chris McPhee, 14 Neil Barrett, 18 Luke Moore, 19 John Akinde, 25 Michael Bostwick

Substitutes Not Used: 21 Sam Mott, 10 Chukki Eribenne, 15 Mark Ricketts, 17 George Purcell

Manager: Liam Daish

Torquay United: 21 Martin Rice, 3 Kevin Nicholson, 4 Steve Woods (c), 6 Chris Todd, 7 Lee Mansell, 8 Tom Sills (11 Kevin Hill 89), 10 Lee Phillips (19 Danny Stevens 46), 14 Chris Hargreaves, 20 Roscoe D'Sane (9 Elliott Benyon 66), 24 Steve Adams, 26 Chris Zebroski

Substitutes Not Used: 5 Chris Robertson, 16 Matt Hockley

Manager: Paul Buckle

Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Riding FA)

Attendance: 40,186