Marvin McLean smashed Sholing's Wembley winner to seal an FA Carlsberg Vase win for his team, and then admitted: This is the moment I dreamed of last night.
The Wessex League outfit created a lot in the first half but struggled to hit the target, but stepped it up a gear in the closing stages and their pressure eventually paid dividends.
McLean said: “You dream of scoring the winning goal the night before, and then it happens! It is absolutely crazy – the ball hit the back of the net and I didn't know what to do with myself. Crazy.
“You dream of scoring the winning goal the night before, and then it happens!"
Marvin McLean
“I snatched at a chance in the first half and saw my name in lights. When you miss a chance like that, it is easy to think 'I won't get a chance like that again'. But when I got another chance in the second half, I hit it, yeah it got a bit of a deflection, but it went in the net and I wasn't bothered. Then I went straight to the fans and it was amazing. I've been at the club for ten years, and I couldn't have wished to enjoy this moment with a better group of lads.”
McLean was keen to pay tribute to outgoing manager Dave Diaper, who ensured The Boatmen were not wasteful with possession.
He added: “It was the plan for me to be the outlet man – we were trying to contain their threat, but at the same time needed to use the flanks. The boss kept telling me to keep out there and be the outlet so that when we had the ball, we could use it. Then we were able to put them on the back foot, and look what happened. It worked!
“The manager got us in at half time and told us to up our game by ten per cent in the second half, because we had shown them too much respect. We gave them too much time on the ball and needed to get much tighter.
“The crowd were great too – they pushed us on and were like the twelfth man with their non-stop singing. Now we have won the league and The FA Vase – it doesn't get much better than this.”
