Ashley Chambers savours vital Wembley goal (From York Press)

York City's Ashley Chambers savours vital Wembley goal

10:39am Monday 21st May 2012 in Sport By Peter Martini, peter.martini@thepress.co.uk

ASHLEY CHAMBERS said last week he enjoyed setting goals up as much as scoring them – but he had to have a rethink following his thunderbolt that set York City on the way up.

Chambers created both goals as the Minstermen beat Newport 2-0 in the FA Trophy final last Saturday, after which he declared his delight in being credited with more assists than any other City player this season.

Yesterday it was his turn to be the goal hero as his thumping half-volley from 12 yards out gave York a precious equaliser, before Matty Blair got the winner little more than a minute into the second half.

It all meant the Minstermen were promoted back to the Football League after eight long years in the Conference.

“It’s unbelievable,” Chambers said of the victory. “There are no words to describe it. It’s fantastic.”

Asked if he stood by what he’d said eight days ago, he laughed: “Maybe not.

“To be honest, I just like to help the team in any way. But to score a goal at Wembley is fantastic. I’m glad it came when it did.

“It’s everything you dream of as a kid.”

The 26th-minute strike, his tenth of the season, came after Chris Smith played the ball back across goal following a Lanre Oyebanjo free-kick.

Chambers said: “From Chris’s body shape, I didn’t feel he’d be able to get a great contact on the ball so I moved myself into an area I thought the ball might go. It went in that area and I tried to hit it as cleanly as I could.

“I’ve never hit many much cleaner and I’ve definitely not hit any more important.”

The 22-year-old admitted Luton’s whirlwind start – a goal after 71 seconds – gave York it all to do. And he also admitted to feeling the tension as the Hatters sought an equaliser.

He said: “I thought, ‘we’re in for a day of it here,’ after their goal, but we showed great team spirit and determination. We got back into it and I feel we deserved the win.

“If we go one goal down or three goals up, the manager wants us to keep playing our football.”

He added of the nervy finale: “It was worse when I came off. I’ve got no fingernails left. But we came through and we’re back up where we belong.”

Yesterday’s victory completed a memorable City Wembley double, in between which both the Minstermen and York City Knights rugby league club were boosted by the go-ahead for a new Community Stadium.

Chambers said: “It’s been a crazy, crazy time, but it’s been fantastic. It’s why you play football.

“We came here eight days ago and put in a shift then, and now we’ve won again, after going a goal down.

“It feels amazing. It’s hard to describe the emotions. When it settles down, I think we will realise what it’s done for the fans and for the city.”