Elias Kachunga admitted he couldn’t have dreamed it better after firing Wanderers on their way to Wembley.
Kachunga scored the vital first goal as the Whites won 2-0 at Accrington Stanley to reach the final of the Papa Johns Trophy.
His 82nd-minute strike was his first goal since a winner against Barrow in the first knock-out round of the competition.
And it also came a month on from a red card against Forest Green which led to some external criticism coming the forward’s way.
“Sometimes in life it’s not the easiest time on the pitch and sometimes off the pitch as well,” admitted Kachunga, who buried the bad memories with the goal that finally ended the resistance of 10-man Stanley in front of a packed away end at the Wham Stadium.
“But I have a really good family and the team was also amazing.
“They kept my head up and tonight showed me how everyone was behind me – the supporters.
“I had lots of messages on social media so I knew I had people behind me and I’m buzzing to give people something back.
“It couldn’t get better. If I was to dream before it for a few weeks it would be exactly like this, to score in front of them and point us in the right direction in the game.
“It was an important goal and I’m buzzing to score the goal.”
Kachunga’s instinctive close-range finish was quickly followed by a stunning strike from Aaron Morley as Wanderers booked their place at Wembley among joyous scenes at Stanley.
And after tasting Wembley success as a Championship play-off final winner with Huddersfield Town in 2017, Kachunga hopes there’s more to come to cap the cup run when Ian Evatt’s men face Plymouth Argyle on Sunday, 2 April.
“I’m just pleased for the team and the whole club to have this experience to go to Wembley and to have the chance to win something,” he added.
“I have been there before and had a really good time there. If you play in England it should be your target to play at least one time at Wembley and it’s a chance to win something.
“It’s not every day you have a chance to go to Wembley and win something, so we go there, we’re now in the final and we want to win this as well.”