"To win at Wembley in a cup final is just unthinkable really," says Town boss Millington after FA Trophy final triumph

Jamie Cooke's first-half goal was enough to see The Shaymen regain the trophy they won back in 2016 as they beat Gateshead 1-0.

When asked how it felt to have won it, Millington said: "Relieved. It's not quite sunk in yet - seeing the fans was phenomenal, seeing the players celebrate.

"But the overriding feeling is relief, we didn't want to be coming away from here having got beat.

"I'm just absolutely relieved we weren't on the wrong end of a result and in awe of the players and the way they've acquitted themselves."

Millington praised the character and spirit of his players' performance.

"What you saw out on the pitch, and what you've seen out on the pitch in the last couple of months, is what this group of players is," he said.

"They're hard-working, they don't know when they're beaten, the want to go and compete for everything.

"It's taken us a little while to organise and work out how to get the best out of them, and we've started to do that.

"There's more to come, I've got absolutely no doubt we're going to be better again next season.

"But this is a reward and hopefully a stepping stone to give them the belief they can go and do even better next season."

The win is a wonderful end to a challenging season for the club.

"It is satisfying and it's reassuring that the patience shown in me and the staff, the support shown by the staff and the players has been rewarded," said Millington.

"I'm delighted for the other people around the club and them getting some reward for their hard work and commitment.

"And I'm delighted for the fans because, like us, they endured some pretty miserable performances throughout the season.

"But we knew things were coming good and changing and improving.

"All in all, it's just great for everybody."

On how the game unfolded, the Town boss said: "First hour or so was exactly how we expected, they were very good in possession, they moved it really well, the rotations, they stretched us, they had the ability to go over the press.

"But we had a plan for that and I think we did it well.

"Last half-hour I'd have liked to have seen us control possession more and that was the intention with starting Warbs and Summers on the bench, so they could come on and control the game later on.

"No fault of theirs but with the injury to Jesse and the legs going, the lads seemed to want to drop in and see the game out.

"And they were right in the end to have done that.

"The last seven minutes felt like a lifetime, in fact, from 75 minutes onwards I really felt like time was going slow."

Millington said Cooke's goal came at a good time.

"We've been sucker-punched a number of times ourselves at that stage of the game, so I was delighted with stuck it in the net at that time," he said.

Millington's team selection was justified as Cooke, who got the nod over Matty Warburton, netted the winner.

"Luke Summerfield and Matty Warburton are fantastic footballers and they were the two difficult ones, we really didn't know which way to go," he said.

"But the approach was mainly based around taking the sting out of Gateshead in the fist 45 to 60 minutes, and a fresh Warby and a fresh Summers helping us control the game for the last half-hour.

"I'm pleased it all worked out in the end."

Millington admitted it had been a "surreal" day,

"To be playing at Wembley is surreal but to win at Wembley in a cup final is just unthinkable really," he said.

"The only slight fear I had was that this was coming too soon after the 2016 victory - is it possible that a club can win it twice in a relatively short space of time?

"The answer is yes we can."

And on the more than 7,000 Town fans at the game, Millington said: "Amazing, and they were fantastic today.

"There were a couple of times during the game when I could hear them over my shoulder and I almost wanted to turn around and look at them rather than watch the game.

"They were so impressive, they were brilliant. I'm made up for them that they've witnessed it."