By Kevin Connolly
John Frain's injury-time free-kick destroyed Swansea, lifted Northampton into Division Two of the Nationwide League and sent the Cobblers' fans delirious.
Those 35,000 supporters had turned Wembley into a sea of maroon. "It was an incredible turnout and a great day for them," said Frain, signed from Birmingham on transfer dead-line day.
"This must be the highlight of my career. You spend 20 years dreaming about scoring a Wembley winner in the last minute so I can hardly describe my feelings."
Jan Molby, the Swansea player-manager, said his players were "distraught". He was clearly unhappy that referee Terry Heilbron had ordered the re-take and booked Jonathan Coates after Swansea's wall encroached too early.
The whole town has gone barmy!" smiled Ian Atkins, the Northampton manager. Three years ago, if Kidderminster had not fallen foul of League rules regarding ground standards, Northampton would have dropped into the Conference. "The club was in a state of despair when I arrived and we have gone through a lot in recent years," said Atkins. Now Northampton have a new stadium - and promotion.
Whether Molby will be playing for Swansea next season is another question. His touch and passing remains acute. But mobility was never his strong point and it was Molby, dawdling on the ball, who was robbed by Neil Grayson to set up Northampton's first chance.
Christian Edwards sprinted back to clear Sean Parrish's shot with Roger Freestone beaten but the Cobblers' self-belief rose from that moment. By then Northampton's Andy Woodman had already tipped over Carl Heggs's shot and held Edwards's header. A brief second-half spell apart, Northampton were never unduly troubled again.
Grayson, moving up to supplement the lone striker, John Gayle, caused Swansea's static defence constant problems with his movement. Northampton squeezed midfield space relentlessly.
Swansea quickly resorted to the long ball which suited the Cobblers' back three. Even when Northampton switched to a flat back four after David Rennie's injury, Swansea made few chances.
But it was a day for ghoulish tension not flowing football. Parrish, arguing frantically about a goal-kick with the referee and an assistant, illustrated how the tension had seized the players. A whole League season had been reduced to one afternoon. Christian Lee wasted a glorious opportunity with a misplaced pass as Hunter sprinted behind the Swansea back line. Lee and Gayle headed off-target from Frain crosses.
Suddenly, though, Northampton left gaps as they went all-out to win. It was time for captain Ray Warburton's influence to steady the Cobblers. Frain was still running through Swansea's three-man midfield. Another cross almost set up Grayson for a decisive finish.
That was to be Frain's honour. Lee was fouled on the edge of the box. Frain hit the free-kick, the Swansea wall encroached too close. Coates was booked as the Welsh fans howled for the final whistle and extra-time.
The wall lined up again. So did Frain. This time the ball smashed past Freestone into the net.
There was barely time for Swansea to kick off.
Northampton Town: Woodman, Sampson, Warburton Rennie (Peer 40min), Clarkson, Parrish Lee Hunter, Frain, Grayson, Gayle (White 76min).
Swansea City: Freestone Penney, Walker, Edwards Moreira, Ampadu Molby Coates, Thomas (Brown 83min), Torpey, Heggs. (Chapple, Lacey not used).
Referee: T Heilbron (Newton Aycliffe).
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