"Everyone was just in disbelief" - Town keeper Johnson on Shaymen's dramatic FA Trophy semi-final triumph

Sam Johnson had already kept FC Halifax Town in the FA Trophy last Saturday with some vital saves.

Town had been on the ropes, relying on desperate defensive blocks, poor Altrincham finishing and Johnson's reactions.

Clinging on with gloved fingertips. Heading out of the FA Trophy with a whimper.

Then bam!

Milli Alli jinks onto his right foot, 25 yards from goal, and unleashes a vicious low shot that arrows into the bottom corner of the net.

Halifax are jubilant, Altrincham are crestfallen, and their FA Trophy semi-final goes to penalties with almost the last kick.

"It was just a typical Halifax thing, we were pretty dead and buried in the game, we weren't the best in the game, they dominated us really," says Johnson, reflecting on what, even by The Shaymen's standards, was a nerve-shredding afternoon.

"We had a bit of a chance here and there but they had some clear-cut ones, luckily we rode the storm out, I made a few decent saves in the second-half to keep us in it.

"Then it was a great finish at the end from Milli.

"It was just sheer disbelief.

"With ten minutes to go, I'd given up really, everything was going through my head, nothing was falling for us and we weren't getting many chances.

"The flare came on the pitch and I was thinking 'this is going to kill us'.

"The goal came out of nowhere but he's got that in his locker, he can probably be a bit frustrating at times because he tries things in the wrong places, but give him a moment, especially from that distance, and he's lethal."

From the moment Alli's shot nestled in the net, perhaps Town's fate was sealed, such is Johnson's presence, his proficiency, his prowess in a penalty shoot-out.

"I don't know, I've just got a little knack at it over a number of years," he says modestly at why he's so difficult to beat from 12 yards.

Altrincham's Eddy Jones, Maxi Oyedele and Tyrese Sinclair can attest to that.

"Managers come to me over the years and say 'do you want videos' or whatever but I honestly don't watch any videos, I don't go off any analysis.

"Pogs (Paul Oakes, goalkeeping coach) says 'do you want anything?' and I say no, and he backs me to be fair.

"I've got a good record but it just goes off pure instinct, what I feel at the time and I stick to the decision.

"I back myself to save at least one penalty in every shoot-out, which gives the lads taking the penalties a chance to put them away.

"That's eight now for Halifax. One day it might end but hopefully I keep it going."

Did it help that the penalties were taken at the Halifax end?

"I think so," he says, "it's more intimidating for the opposing players, especially when they're shaking the net or whatever else.

"You can hear that noise, they made a difference in the end."

Johnson added: "Everyone was just in disbelief that it happened, I think that added to the ecstasy of it.

"There were a few beers after the game.

"It's been a bit of a difficult season, there's not been a lot to cheer about, so when these moments come about, you've got to enjoy them and we certainly did."

After the celebrations comes the sobering reality of league leaders Wrexham visiting The Shay on Friday.

Johnson can expect another busy afternoon.

"We had a couple of days off to wind down from the game," he says.

"I think everyone knows going into it that it's going to be a tough game.

"Any result for us would be a positive one, but in the last four, five, six games we've only lost to Chesterfield.

"We can use this (reaching Wembley) as a bit of momentum, we can carry on from the high of the weekend and cause a bit of an upset and a shake-up at the top of the table.

"We want to finish strong and take the momentum into the last seven games and into the final.

"When we played at their place we more than matched them for 45 minutes.

"You know what you're going to get from them, it's going to be a lot of balls in the box, a lot of pressure.

"Don't get me wrong, they've got some very good players.

"But for me it's an opportunity.

"I'm pretty sure they've sold out their allocation, it's going to be a pretty good crowd in for us, the fans are going to be on a high from Saturday as well.

"So it's down to us to put a bit of a show on, these are the best games you can play in and step up and make a bit of a name for yourself."

Johnson says thoughts of Wembley need to be put to one side for now.

"First and foremost, we've got to get a few more points on the board just to secure our safety in the league," he says.

"If a couple of results go wrong for us then we're right back in the mire and worried about that.

"So just keep the points ticking over.

"People are going to want to be in that team for Wembley, so people are maybe going to start raising their game and start putting a massive shift in.

"But we'll park it for a little bit and get ourselves working hard for the team and continue picking up points."

Johnson feels his season has mirrored his team's. Up and down, could do better.

"Probably like the rest of us, I think I've done OK, I've had high and lows throughout the season like any goalkeeper does in this league," he says.

"I think for the first-half of the year I was pretty solid, pretty good.

"I think I've dropped off a bit with a few of my performances in the last couple of months.

"But it's been difficult, we've been on a difficult run and it's just been one of those seasons where we've never got any continuity or consistency going.

"But I'm still up there in terms of clean sheets, I've still not conceded too many goals so I can't complain too much."

Johnson is one of several Town players out-of-contract in the summer, but would be happy to attempt more heroics for the club in the future.

"I love playing for the club and I don't think it's a hard sell to me or a hard negotiation if they come forward, I'd love to stay for another couple of years," he says.

"When you play for a club you enjoy playing for, you love playing for, it's not hard.

"I want to achieve something at this club.

"I know I've won the FA Trophy and there's that possibility again, but we've been close in play-off run-ins and to getting promoted.

"That's the ultimate goal. We've been in the play-offs two of the last four years after this one.

"So I'm hoping some of the players can stay from this year and we can rebuild and go again."