Bristol Rovers are promoted to the Football League in the conference play-off final, winning 5-3 on penalties against Grimsby Town.
Nathan Arnold scored early for Grimsby but Bristol equaliser through Elliot Harrison before half time.
Yet both teams suffered cramp and injuries as they tired at Wembley and after an electric first half, it was forced to penalties where Jon-Paul Pittman missed Grimsby's third spot kick and Lee Mansell scored the winner for the Rovers.
Bristol Rovers have become the first team since 2005 to bounce straight back up to the Football League.
The smoke bombs were set off early by the Grimsby fans on their day out to Wembley as they took the lead in stunning, messy, quick style.
Part-time hairdresser Nathan Arnold was creator and the man rightfully pointed to in grateful fashion by Lennell John-Lewis, the birthday boy. He powered through the Bristol half, eating up the ground with the ball at his feet. Approaching the 18-yard-box he offloaded it to John-Lewis whose first strike at Puddy was parried back into his path, the second was going nowhere except the back of the net.
Grimsby continued with the momentum, driving upfield again to earn a corner. That was followed by another corner as the Bristol Rovers captain, McChrystal, headed it just over his own goal.
Tempers flared early on in one of the most enticing and exciting play-off final starts for years. James McKeown went bravely down in the box to clutch the ball away from the oncoming Bristol attacker. A kick in the face came his way as Bristol finally found space to get a cross in. Naturally, the Grimsby players weren't happy and a small scuffle broke out as we neared the ten minute mark.
Matt Taylor did well to break free on the left flank but once more, McKeown was brave and collected the ball from his feet as Taylor attempted to round him.
Neat football from Rovers turned into the more traditional long ball punt upfield which earned them a throw, a reminder of the league being watched.
Grimsby responded with their own, similar, punt upfield and earned a freekick.
A slip from Tom Parkes gave John-Lewis the opportunity to break free on the counter attack for Grimsby. He kept the ball alive after it slipped loose of him and earned the corner well. Aristote Nsiala should have buried it from the corner but he leant back to far and headed over.
There was an early red card appeal for a challenge on McKeown from Grimsby's players, they had another, a more righteous one, near twenty minutes.
Will Puddy charged out of this goal, Manuel Neuer style, to punch the lofted ball clear. Yet with Ollie Palmer rapidly coming towards him and beating him to the ball, he could only meet Palmer's cross with an outstretched hand. Standing outside of his area, he shook his head but knew something had to be given. The referee gave him just a booking, a poor demonstration of being scared of the magnitude of the game.
Arnold was given a lay off from the free-kick and curled it inwards from 25-yards out to give Puddy his biggest challenge yet.
Rovers built up well to earn a freekick but with their fans egging them on to finally produce a chance after a very poor first twenty minutes, the outswinging ball was cleared easily.
It was Nathan Arnold who continued to be the pest for Bristol after being the creator of their magnificent start.
Bristol began to attack with better intent, despite looking shaky at the back. Chris Lines delivered a wonderful deep cross which was headed back in only to be cleared.
Yet two minutes later Ellis Harrison grabbed his 7th goal in 7 games for Bristol to give them the momentum as they headed towards the half hour mark. The ball dropped as the set-piece ball entered the box and Harrison pounced quickly, smashing it into the roof of the net.
Grimsby responded well, however, winning a corner. Yet Rovers moved forward quickly, Puddy booting the ball way into the Grimsby half for Taylor to win. Small shouts for a penalty came as he was dispossessed but the breathless feel of the game continued.
Big shouts for a penalty followed it as Rovers attacked again, ripping apart a shocked Grimsby defence whose only reaction was to attack themselves.
Taylor received a booking for a dive as he appeared to be taken down by McKeown in the penalty area after picking up the loose ball. Despite being clipped it was adjudged as simulation by the referee who suddenly became disliked by both sets of fans.
Jake Gosling wriggled into the box to unleash a shot but McKeown saved. Bristol Rovers played in energetic, direct style as half time approached.
Nsiala launched it forward for John-Lewis but in playing it to former-Rovers boy Disley, the Grimsby attack broke down with a poor cross from Disley.
Chris Lines did to carry on into the box after splaying it wide. With Monkhouse coming next to him he delayed on the ball, played it to his teammate who couldn't get enough power on it to beat McKeown.
An incredible first 45 minutes ended with another snuffed out Grimsby attack.
Harrison was beginning to grow into a key player for Rovers in the first half and continued from the restart. He wriggled past a few defenders to have a shot blocked and then nicked the ball of Nsaila to earn a throw.
Gosling tucked in and out of three players to unleash a fierce drive but it was blocked like Harrison's. Rovers began the second in the same direct fashion they ended the first.
Both managers, great friends off and on the pitch, seemed to have told their sides to calm the attacking play down and ensure that they pressed the opposition. With different formations but similar playing styles in the second period, the record crowd producing a great atmosphere had slightly less to get excited over.
The game picked it's pace back up with twenty minutes to go to settle the battle to play in the football league. Jon-Paul Pittman came on for Ollie Palmer for Grimsby and with a piece of paper in his hand directed the team about. He headed it into John-Lewis' path with his first touch but Rovers cleared.
John-Lewis took on Rovers just moments later for another penalty shout from the Grimsby fans who thought his shot had struck Parkes' arm. Yet once more, the referee waved play instead of giving a dubious, harsh spot kick.
Gregor Robertson was forced off with a knee injury with Parslow his replacement. Then Gosling came off for Bristol, replaced by the Colombian Angelo Balanta, after a less bright second half compared to his first.
Balanta made an impact immediately, storming past his man to cross it in but Grimsby cleared well. The Rovers goalscorer, Elliot Harrison, was forced off with cramp looking deeply frustrated with just ten minutes to go, replaced by Nathan Blissett.
Penalties dawned as legs turned to jelly as usual in play-off finals and even more expectedly so after such a thrilling first half.
Magnay sent a deep cross from the left flank but Puddy claimed it to start a break for Rovers. They did so down the left to be stopped by Disley.
With 5 minutes to go, Blissett laid off a ball on the edge of the area, only for it to be easily intercepted. He moved forward into the same area again and this time laid it off with better quality to Taylor whose shot was deflected wide for a corner.
Chris Lines delivered it to the roars in the 47,000 strong crowd. Parkes got on the end of it but had to lean back so couldn't get the desired power on it.
Extra time beckoned after a less than exciting second half. Blissett began it by heading down to Balanta whose powerful driving shot was straight at McKeown.
MacKreth dribbled in and out of the Rovers' defence to get the Grimsby end going at Wembley.
Space opened up in the first half of extra time as tired legs became even more so. Taylor was robbed of the ball on the edge of the box Grimsby broke away to no avail.
Andy Monkhouse was surrounded by players in the box and went down under pressure but his shouts for a penalty were half hearted.
Despite both teams attacking, penalties looked the most likely option. Attacks begun by Blissett, the substitute making a huge impact for Rovers, came to nothing as Chris Lines suffered cramp.
Daniel Parslow had a good shot saved by Puddy at the near post before Taylor had a 20-yard half volley stopped by McKeown as both keepers were kept very busy.
A huge boot upfield was met by Matt Taylor, Bristol's ever-present forward who didn't stop running throughout the game, but Nsiala intercepted Taylor's turn well and started the Grimsby counter. John-Lewis had a ball deflected in the box to cause havoc and Mackreth took possession from under the keeper's nose but he didn't have enough space and time to turn and shoot.
Lee Mansell's free-kick found Chris Lines but his header was just inches over the crossbar.
Long balls became the only and last resort with chances for either side including one cleared off the line.
With one substitution left, many questioned Darrell Clarke's decision not to make a change for the tired legs during extra time. Yet it turned out he was following Louis van Gaal in bringing on a goalkeeper just for the shootout.
Van Gaal's decision was vindicated. Steve Mildenhall, former Grimsby player, came on for Puddy, smaller in height that Mildenhall.
Rovers took first at the Grimsby end and both teams scored for the first five penalties. Yet Pittman became the loser of it all as, with the score 3-2 to Rovers, he skied it over horribly for Grimsby.
Lee Mansell followed the two that followed with the winner. He ran off towards the opposite end, the Rovers end and celebrated by slamming himself on the floor, with his teammates piling on top of him.
The Grimsby players, the Grimsby fans and the Grimsby staff stared at the floor with deep sadness and regret that they hadn't continued from their incredibly quick goal at the start.
Bristol Rovers didn't care one bit. Bristol Rovers are in the Football League again!
