Lincoln City are heading to Wembley for the first time in their 133-year history after overcoming Chelsea U21 in the Checkatrade Trophy Semi-Final.
The Imps dominated the match for long periods, but couldn’t find their way through in front of a packed out Sincil Bank.
However, with 72 minutes on the clock, they made the breakthrough when skipper Luke Waterfall headed beyond Blues’ stopper Marcin Bulka.
The Premier League young guns responded quickly, though, when Daishawn Redan fired home from inside the box, sending the tie to penalties.
Lincoln’s Sam Habergham was denied first by a combination of Bulka and the crossbar, but they clawed their way back after Ethan Ampadu struck the woodwork and Ryan Allsop saved from Jacob Maddox.
That left local hero Lee Frecklington, who returned to the club in January, to score the winning spot-kick, and he made no mistake, sending the crowd into raptures and the Imps into the Checkatrade Trophy Final.
In the night’s Quarter-Final, Francois Zoko struck a last-gasp winner to earn Yeovil Town a 3-2 win over Fleetwood Town.
Cian Bolger opened the scoring for the visitors, but then found his own net six minutes later to level things up. Corey Whelan's first senior goal turned things around at Huish Park, before Hiwula equalised with 10 minutes to go. Then, with penalties looming, Zoko had the final say.
That means the Glovers will travel to Shrewsbury Town for the second last-four tie, with the winner facing Danny Cowley’s side at Wembley on Sunday 8th April.
