Wanderers are back in the Championship after a famous day in the Wembley sun, writes Pete Oliver.
Backed by nearly 30,000 fans on a sweltering afternoon, Steven Schuamcher’s heroes delivered promotion to end a seven-year absence from the second tier.
An early Ruben Rodrigues strike was cancelled out before the break by Stockport striker Adama Sidibeh.
But Wanderers responded with a superb second-half showing as an own-goal from Kyle Wootton, a spectacular late strike from substitute Sam Dalby and a Rodrigues penalty put this current crop of Whites in the history books.
Schumacher had made three changes to the side that started the second leg of the semi-final win at Bradford and one of those returning – winger Thierry Gale – played a major part in the perfect start for the Whites.
After Jordi Osei-Tutu made the initial thrust on the opposite flank, Wanderers worked the ball across to Gale who cut in and sent in a low shot County keeper Corey Addai couldn’t hold.
Mason Burstow won the chase for the loose ball and when his cut-back was cleared only as far as Rodrigues he did the rest by picking the empty side of the goal to slot home with less than three minutes gone,
That should have calmed any nerves but it was Stockport who responded the better. Adama Sidbeh saw a potential equaliser chalked off by VAR – not used for any previous League One games or the semi-finals – for a trip on George Johnston.
But it was County, beaten at Wembley last month in the EFL Trophy final, who remained the most composed in the searing heat and after an error by Rodrigues was almost punished by Odin Bailey – denied by Jack Bonham’s smart save – they levelled after half an hour.
Sidibeh remained a handful and when Bailey delivered into the Wanderers’ penalty area, the powerful Stockport striker found space to glance a header beyond Bonham and into the far corner.
Wanderers needed a spark and just before the break Osei-Tutu looked to provide it with a brilliant run from inside his own half to force a corner and at least change the momentum going into half-time which was delayed eight minutes by the VAR stoppage and two water breaks.
The stifling conditions didn’t make life easy for either side but attacking the end of the ground filled by white and Wanderers’ fantastic support, Schumacher’s men started the second half brightly with Addai once again only able to parry an early effort – this time from Josh Sheehan who made a couple of piercing runs to try and lift the tempo.
Gale then got the better of former Wanderers’ full-back Josh Dacres-Cogley but Rodrigues couldn’t make the most of a half-chance that threw up as the tie remained in the balance as the hour approached and Schumacher made his first change with the introduction of top scorer Sam Dalby from the bench.
It proved an inspired move as Rodrigues dropped deeper to see more of the ball and immediately made a difference, feeding a pass into Dalby who laid the ball off for Amario Cozier-Duberry.
His attempted finish wasn’t the cleanest hit but again Addai couldn’t make a clean take as the ball then cannoned into the net off the legs of defender Kyle Wootton.
That prompted a treble change from County boss Dave Challinor and one of the substitutes, Isaac Olaofe, also had the opportunity to make an instant impact but an excellent smothering save from Bonham denied the striker and kept Wanderers’ lead intact.
With Wanderers also bringing on further fresh legs they pressed for a third goal that would complete the job and after Ibby Cissoko had forced a corner it almost came for Chris Forino, whose header was grabbed at the second attempt by Addai.
Wanderers were in the ascendency now and Dalby underlined the point with a goal worthy of winning any Wembley final. Johnston’s ball into the box was flicked on by John McAtee and Dalby controlled the ball before hooking a brilliant overhead kick into the corner to claim his 14th and best goal of the season.
That was job done and Wanderers were able to celebrate in style with a fourth goal in stoppage time. Dacres-Cogley was unfortunate to be on the wrong end of a VAR decision for pulling back Cissoko.
The defender saw red and Rodrigues stepped up to stroke home the penalty to put the cap on the perfect day and a landmark season.
Wanderers: Bonham; Osei-Tutu, Forino, Johnston, Conway (Christie 76); Cozier-Duberry, Simons (Dalby 62), Sheehan, Gale (Cissoko 72); Rodrigues, Burstow (McAtee 72). Substitutes: Harrington, Erhahon, Dempsey.
Booked: None
Stockport County: Addai; Dacres-Cogley, Wootton, Pye, Edun; Norwood; Stokes (Andresson 65), Bailey, Osborn (Mothersille 81), Barry (Diamond 65); Sidibeh (Oloafe 65). Substitutes: Hinchliffe, Connolly, Fiorinion.
Booked: Wootton, Bailey
Referee: Josh Smith
Attendance: 48, 268