Notts County boss Luke Williams 'can't comprehend' National League promotion final win

Notts County ended a four-year absence from the EFL with their National League promotion final win

Boss Luke Williams was left dumbfounded by how Notts County beat Chesterfield in a penalty shootout to win the National League promotion final.

A John Bostock free-kick sent the game to extra time when Andrew Dallas' penalty had appeared enough to earn Chesterfield victory.

Ruben Rodrigues ensured it would be decided by spot-kicks when he then cancelled out Armando Dobra's goal.

"I can't comprehend it, I'm lost," Williams told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"It's incredible, I have no idea what's going on.

"I've learned that when these guys look like they are done, they are not - they have another roll of the dice."

Notts won promotion in dramatic circumstances despite leading for just one minute in their two play-off games, which included trailing in the final from the fifth minute and beating Boreham Wood in the semi-final with a goal in the last minute of extra time a week earlier.

Victory in the Wembley showdown to reclaim their mantle as 'world's oldest football league club' capped off a record-breaking season.

The 107 points they amassed to finish second in the table would have earned them automatic promotion in every season except this one, with Wrexham's National League record 111 points getting them up as champions.

While prolific Magpie Macaulay Langstaff was unable to add to his National League record 42 goals for the season in the play-offs, he spearheaded Notts' promotion bid, which included a club record 32 league wins and 117 goals.

'A world of stress'

In the end it came down to spot-kicks, with substitute goalkeeper Archie Mair, who was brought on in place of Sam Slocombe late in extra time, pulling off two saves.

Bostock then had the chance to win it only to hit the bar with his attempt at a Panenka, before Cedwyn Scott sealed the victory.

Scott's successful effort helped banish the memories of his late penalty miss in Notts' defeat at Wrexham last month, a result that proved key in the automatic promotion race.

"You are just in a world of stress," Williams said of the emotions of the game.

"I don't think I had a moment of enjoyment until Cedwyn's penalty crossed the line."

'A Hollywood season with a Hollywood ending'

Such were the celebrations by BBC Radio Nottingham's commentary team of Charlie Slater and former Notts striker Mark Stallard that the station briefly fell off air.

That joy said much about what promotion back to League Two means to a club with a proud history which has endured four seasons in the National League. The club also suffered tragedy in March when chief executive Jason Turner died suddenly, aged 50.

But after a season when Hollywood has dominated the National League in the form of Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Stallard said the drama played out at Wembley was a fitting finale.

"Notts County put you through the mill and then some, but they never say die," Stallard told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"It's the cruellest of ways for Chesterfield to lose, but it's the most joyous, most unbelievable, most fantastical script that couldn't be written.

"We've talked about a Hollywood season, well this is a Hollywood ending for everybody following Notts County," added Stallard, who made more than 200 appearances during nearly five years with the club.

"It's been an unbelievable season for Notts County where they got absolutely what they deserved.

"You have to feel for Chesterfield because they did everything they could but Notts just would not be denied."

'No regrets - we have done our best'

Chesterfield boss Paul Cook said the Spireites "have no regrets about the game" and added that it was "insane" that Notts had not already gone up, with just the one automatic promotion spot up for grabs in England's fifth tier.

Cook's side led the division in September but ended up third in the table, a distant 23 points behind Notts as they were unable to keep up with the pace set by Wrexham and the Magpies.

"I have to congratulate Notts County on an excellent year, to get the amount of points they had and not go up [automatically] is a real blow," Cook said.

"This is a very competitive, good league, with a lot of good managers, coaches and teams in it. How it's only been allowed to have one team go up automatically is just insane. It's an absolute sporting disgrace.

"Notts County should have gone up automatically without a doubt. Today we came here and we have no regrets about the game - we have done our best."