Jamie Cooke will take Wembley goal and FC Halifax Town's FA Trophy final victory to his 'grave'

Cooke scored the only goal of the showpiece occasion after he charged down Gateshead goalkeeper James Montgomery’s attempted clearance just before half time, with the ball looping into an unguarded net.

“It’s the most amazing moment that has ever happened, never mind in my football career, but life in general,” admitted the 21-year-old after the 1-0 victory. “Hopefully it gets better than that. For now, that tops everything. I am just highly thankful for the opportunity that I’ve been given.

He added: “I think half of my goals this season have been pretty similar to be honest! I think I have only hit one or two clean. You need that bit of luck in football. I am just over the moon that it has come today on such a big occasion. I have got my family in the crowd watching and that is the biggest thing for me.”

Asked what was going through his mind when he saw Gateshead’s Louis Storey turn to find his goalkeeper, Cooke responded:

“Head down and leg it. A big part of my game is that I have got a bit of energy. It is kind of drilled into me that any chance I get is to sprint at them and put them off. As soon as I knew he was in that situation my first thought, before he even passed it, was to get this ball at the keeper.

“It was a stroke of luck. It couldn’t have gone any better. It hit my foot and I turned around and it was slow motion. I was just waiting for it to go in. The rush you get off the back of that is absolutely massive. It’s amazing.”

Cooke follows in the footsteps of cult hero Scott McManus who scored the only goal when the Shaymen beat Grimsby in the 2016 final of the prestigious non-league competition.

“I have seen it (McManus’ goal) many times,” admitted the former Fleetwood Town youngster. “Twitter has been flying with the goal. I have seen it in every other post!

“It hasn’t hit me yet. I can’t really describe it to be honest. It is just an unbelievable feeling.”

On the team’s performance, Cooke said:

“Absolute warriors, that is the way to describe us today. I don't think there's a more demanding performance that we’ve put in. We have worked our absolute socks off the whole game. Every single man on that pitch and who came on from the bench, every staff member gave 100 per cent, the fans gave 100 percent. The club as a whole are absolute warriors.

“Concentrating for the full 90, that is the hardest part. You’re playing a game, your legs get tired but it is about keeping your mind switched on and everyone’s mental game at this club is top notch.

“You’ve got the older lads and the more experienced fellas, Summers (Luke Summerfield), Clarkey (Tom Clarke), who absolutely drill that into you, that willingness to win. The competition side of things is absolutely massive. It is an absolute credit to the lads for today.

“It is an incredible feeling which I will carry to the grave with me.”

And, after a tough season which saw Halifax rise from the threat of relegation up to an 11th placed finish in the National League, Cooke believes victory in the FA Trophy final is “the icing on the cake.”

He said: “We have had our ups and downs. Things didn’t go right but we finished the season strong, and I think this is just the icing on the cake. We thoroughly deserved it.

“And it’s a massive thank you to the fans. We can’t thank them enough for that support. It was absolutely unbelievable. That full corner was filled out. It was absolutely tremendous.

We couldn’t stop hearing them the whole game. I have got so much time for the fans. I hope they know that they are unbelievably appreciated.

“I love it here, I really do. The fans are phenomenal. Today is phenomenal. I can’t thank the club enough and I can’t thank the Gaffer enough for the opportunity.”