Dream come true for goal hero Lanre (From York Press)

Dream come true for York City goal hero Lanre Oyebanjo

9:40am Monday 14th May 2012 in Sport

SCORING in a Wembley win and being named man of the match – it’s a dream come true for York City goal hero Lanre Oyebanjo.

The right-back-turned-midfielder got on the end of Ashley Chambers’ fine run and cross to tap in City’s second goal of their 2-0 FA Trophy final victory over Newport County with 72 minutes on the clock.

It came eight minutes after Matty Blair’s opener and gave the Minstermen some breathing space against the plucky Welshmen.

Said the 22-year-old: “It’s remarkable. It’s what you dream of – it’s all come true. It was a very good goal. It was a great ball by Ash and let me put it into the net. It was played out wide and there was no one in the box and I thought why not get in there. I didn’t have much to do to put it in.

“It was an important goal – it came at a good time.”

As for the man-of-the-match accolade, as chosen by the match sponsors and announced late in the game, he said: “I was surprised, to be fair. It’s a great achievement. I just tried to do my bit for the team. I thought there were a few other contenders – Ash Chambers and James Meredith were top quality. Everyone was. It was an all-round great team effort.”

Oyebanjo was not at City for their two previous trips to the new Wembley – the FA Trophy loss in 2009 and Blue Square Bet Premier play-off final in 2010 – both of which ended in defeat.

He nearly missed this one, too, after suffering a hamstring injury a month ago. However, he was fit to return for the second leg of the play-off semi-final win over Mansfield.

“There was always that worry, whether you’d be fit in time and then whether you’d get back into the team,” he said.

“This is my first visit to Wembley and one I will savour. It’s a great feeling, and it’s the best possible way to go into the Luton match.”

That Luton match is the play-off final, part of the Minstermen’s 2012 Wembley double and, to most associated with the club, the more important of the two big games at the national stadium.

“It’s a big game – it’s a big week ahead of us,” said Oyebanjo.

“Hopefully we can get the job done again. The whole squad together has a belief. We’re striving towards something. It’s what we all want to achieve, and hopefully we can get that promotion.

“We will celebrate tonight (Saturday) but get down to hard work next week. You’ve got to celebrate. But everyone has next week at the back of their mind. The main goal is to get up, to win promotion.

“The gaffer has said from day one he wants us to go to Wembley –and that we would win it. His aim is clear. We’re in it to win it.”