By Nick Rippington at Wembley
What's more, it came from a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area that had to be taken twice because Swansea midfielder Jonathan Coates prematurely charged down John Frain's original effort. Frain placed the ball again 20 yards out, stepped up and curled the perfect shot into the bottom of the net. It was the last kick of the game and it must have been torture for Molby, but it was the end of a long and rocky trail to success for his opposite number, Ian Atkins.
Three years ago, Atkins and the Cobblers, as they are affectionately known, were going out of the Football League only to be saved by a last-minute repreive when no team was promoted from the Vauxhall Conference. Since then, Atkins has worked to rebuild the club into an uncompromising unit, and they proved it with the clinical way they dprived Swansea of the time and space to play the creative football Molby has introduced.
The 46,000 crowd was the highest attendance yet for a Third Division play-off final. It had an unusual start with the sound of the Welsh national anthem ringing around the ground. This will become a regular feature at the home of English football next season with the Welsh rugby team having chosen Wembley as their permanent home while the national ground, Cardiff Arms Park, is being revamped in time for the 1999 World Cup. Yesterday, it was the turn of Swansea fans to belt it out with great gusto, while treating God Save The Queen to a barrage of boos.
Whether their Scouse-talking, Danish player-manager has done a crash course in Welsh is unclear, but he has certainly been adopted by the adoring Swans fans. Molby strode the big stage like a colossus - and not just because of his 14 and a half stone bulk - after winning two FA Cups, one League Cup and a Charity Shield on England's hallowed turf. He claims to own a Wembley season ticket, and there is no doubt his silky passing skills are well suited to the billiard-table smootheness of the Wembley turf.
Unfortunately in the hustle and bustle of Third Division football he doesn't always get the time he needs to practise his art. Northampton nearly took advantage in the 18th minute when Neil Grayson caught the great Dane in possession and slipped a pass through to captain Ray Warburton. His shot looked destined for goal until one of Molby's young guns, 21-year-old Christian Edwards, cleared off the line.
In fairness, it was a rare blip in Molby's otherwise neat repertoire, and he drove his side forward constantly in the second half. They had the majority of the chances in a tight game and all their meaningful attacks were channelled through their awkward No 9, Steve Torpey. But, with the game seemingly destined for extra time, came the cruel hammer blow which killed Swansea's chances of promotion and sent the Cobblers into seventh heaven.
Click here to go back to Wembley page