Workington Reds are celebrating promotion after victory in a dramatic NPL West play-off final.
Danny Grainger's side defeated Runcorn Linnets 2-1 in extra-time in front of a 2,506 crowd at Borough Park.
It sent Reds into the Northern Premier League Premier Division with their first promotion since 2005.
And it capped a successful return for Grainger in his first season back at the helm, the Cumbrian enjoying the first promotion of his fledgling managerial career.
The Reds are going up! pic.twitter.com/eoLmDoSo6o
— Workington AFC (@WorkingtonAFC) April 29, 2023
Lewis Reilly's goal in the ninth minute of extra-time was the decisive moment as memorable scenes at Reds' ground unfolded.
Match winner. ⚽@lewisreilly77 pic.twitter.com/dCGcoF9vpT
— Workington AFC (@WorkingtonAFC) April 29, 2023
Grainger's men had gone behind in the final to a fifth-minute Lewis Doyle goal for Billy Paynter's Runcorn
But an own-goal from Sam Heathcote on 30 minutes saw Reds level.
Neither side could settle things in 90 minutes but Reilly went on to be the west Cumbrians' hero.
It sees Reds back up to Step 3 of the non-league pyramid - as they finally claimed the promotion they were denied in the Covid pandemic.
Workington were well clear at the top of the table under Grainger in 2019/20 when the season was controversially rendered null and void, while a promising campaign in 2020/21 was also curtailed.
They lost in last season's play-offs under previous boss Chris Willcock but now they have done it under Grainger after his return to the club last summer following a spell at Falkirk.
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