For the first time in the 54-year history of the FA Trophy, two phoenix clubs would meet in the final, that being National League rivals FC Halifax Town and Gateshead.
Coming into the game, both sides had finished the season strongly in mid-table and were hopeful of victory at Wembley come 6:15pm on Sunday.
To be bluntly honest, the majority of the first half was a 'snooze-fest', given the laggard pace of play and the lack of chances from either side.
Ironically, the opener which would turn out to be the crucial match-winner evolved from a defensive mistake, a few minutes shy of the break.
Heed centre-back Louis Storey sold his 'keeper short with a poor pass back to him, allowing Jamie Cooke to race in and force a blocked clearance into the back of the net.
There were more but minimal opportunities in the second half, the best of the lot falling to Town, however, neither side could capitalize.
Maybe Gateshead played the occasion rather than the game, but ultimately there just wasn't enough fight shown on the day to deserve a goal at the least.
Although an unfortunate way to fall to Wembley defeat for the Tynesiders, competition winners Halifax will not care how it has come at all amid their jubilant celebrations.
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Story of the match
There were questions ahead of kickoff around how Halifax would line up in the absence of top scorer Mani Dieseruvwe, and while it wasn't a huge shock that Jack Hunter started ahead of Luke Summerfield in midfield, Matty Warburton's omission onto the bench was rather unexpected with Jamie Cooke in his place.
Gateshead fielded an equally strong side as promotion-winning manager Mike Williamson made two changes to the side that beat Maidenhead three weeks ago - James Montgomery was reinstated between the sticks while Ethan Pye's loan recall forced him out as Kenton Richardson's return from injury allowed him a spot in the starting eleven.
Both managers anticipated a closely-fought contest, and if the opening ten minutes were anything to go by, that would probably be the case.
The Tynesiders saw a lot more of the ball in the early stages but either side found opportunities to threaten, though ultimately they came to nothing.
While the sluggish pace of the game continued to sit on the opposite end of the spectrum in comparison to the events that unfolded in the Promotion Final on the same turf eight days earlier, a first chance suddenly evolved shortly before the half-hour mark.
It was a seemingly perfect threaded pass through the middle of the Heed defence that gave Rob Harker the impression he had successfully beaten the offside trap, but only to be halted by the linesman's checkered flag - Montgomery could take no risks as he remained focused to deny the Town man in a one-on-one.
Five minutes later, the Gateshead stopper found himself in the same situation and reacted well to speed off his line and prevent any sniff of goal for Harker.
The quality and pace of the football were still far from desirable, but there would be no complaints with a few rare chances that had been lacking for the majority of the half.
A corner ten minutes shy of the break looked to be the Tynesiders' key to causing havoc for the Shaymen - a string of headers in the box picked out an unmarked Owen Bailey but he could only nod over the bar from close range.
Maybe that was the boost that Mike Williamson's side required, though any momentum was quickly lost again with an immediate opportunity down the other end.
Halifax forward Angelo Cappello's quality was yet to be unlocked at Wembley until the 36th minute when he came close with a low cross-cum-shot on the turn, but once more, it wasn't enough to threaten the Heed goal.
As the half-time interval edged closer, fans began to head down to the concourse, presumably for refreshments rather than a cure for boredom.
Those still comfortably seated in the end designated to Halifax were rewarded for their everlasting patience with 44 minutes on the clock.
In a moment when there didn't look to be the slightest chance of the Yorkshire outfit finding the opening goal, it was a mistake at the back which allowed them to edge in front.
Whose shoulders the blame should lie on can be settled at a later time - it was a pass-back from Louis Storey to Montgomery that exposed a slow reaction from the 'keeper, and Cooke's eagerness to follow in and close him down resulted in a blocked clearance looping into the back of the net.
That closed off the half and while one side was visibly disappointed, the other will have been elated to take the lead in such a manner.
There aren't many worse feelings in football than defeat and the national stadium and so the Heed began the second 45 minutes in the right fashion.
Captain Greg Olley looked to force an equalizer eight minutes after the restart as he whipped in a promising free kick from the left which connected with the head of Bailey but flashed just wide of the upright.
The desperation became even more evident with Adam Campbell fizzing a first-time effort over the bar from outside the area.
That was enough of a danger sign for the Shaymen, who searched for a second to kill the building mood in the black-and-white end of Wembley.
Milli Alli was the driving force and the centre of a Halifax counter-attack sprinting down the pitch and cutting inside but his eventual low effort for an easy hold for Montgomery.
Entering the final twenty minutes, another opportunity for Chris Millington's men evolved through a decent free kick delivery, flicked towards the target by Jack Hunter however denied a certain goal by a brilliant point-blank redemption save from the Heed goalkeeper.
There was still time for a couple of late Gateshead chances but strikes from Kamil Conteh and Campbell were particularly tame and forced Sam Johnson into action for the first time all game, although little effort was needed to keep them out.
The North East club received a lifeline with the fourth official indicating seven minutes added on but despite applying pressure towards the close, it wasn't their day - it was Halifax's for the second time in eight years.
Heed players would make the trip up to the Royal Box first of all, picking up their runners-up medals, which is not what they would have been hoping to claim two hours prior.
There were opposite emotions for their victorious opponents - it was unconfined joy for the Shaymen and their 7,000+ travelling supporters, as each player took turns in lifting the FA Trophy aloft, such silverware that will require extra space in the trophy cabinet at The Shay.
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Player of the match - Jamie Cooke
It wasn't the best of games, but the work-rate and effort put in by Halifax Town midfielder Cooke has to be credited.
His rapid reaction to close Montgomery down for the first-half goal also proved to be the match-winner, and it will no doubt be a very proud day for him and his family.