YORK College agonisingly missed out on national glory at Birmingham City’s St Andrew’s ground following a last-minute 3-2 defeat to Milton Keynes.

The Sim Balk Lane students were the better side during a thrilling English Colleges FA Cup final that saw them have efforts by Casey Stewart and Alfie Beestin controversially disallowed before falling behind to second-half David-Ray Marstaller and Alfie Leadbeater goals.

But replies from Marcel Chigumira and Beestin on 79 and 86 minutes saw York stage a great comeback and deservedly get back on terms, only for man-of-the-match Leadbeater to settled matters in a heart-breaking climax for the North Yorkshire side and a sizeable vocal following that included ex-York City and Manchester United midfielder Jonathan Greening.

York had earlier made a positive start to the game with Tom Hullock’s 30-yard drive forcing a fine save from MK keeper Connor Coulson in only the second minute.

Stewart went on to fire narrowly over from distance after Connor Mayall and Beestin combined to tee up the chance.

At the other end, a rare chance saw Leadbeater head wide from a corner, while Beestin shot inches off target after being played through the left channel by Stewart.

An excellent dribble then saw Stewart work his way into the Buckinghamshire outfit’s box, but his eventual shot lacked the power to trouble Coulson.

Stewart went on to put the ball in the net on the stroke of half-time after racing on to Mayall’s through ball, only for the assistant’s flag to be raised for an offside decision that looked dubious when played back on the match DVD.

Early in the second period, York were celebrating only to be denied by another iffy flag after Beestin had drilled a low shot into Coulson’s bottom-right corner from 12 yards following Stewart’s through ball.

With the next attack, MK took a 54th-minute lead when Marstaller’s shot on the turn found Charlie Murphy’s bottom-right corner from ten yards.

Undeterred, York continued to probe with a clever Stewart free kick seeing Chigumira blast narrowly wide.

A mix-up between centre-back Matthew Day and Murphy gifted MK a second goal, though, with Leadbeater rolling the ball into an unguarded net.

It was a devastating blow but York again picked themselves up with substitute Tom Rushworth calling Coulson into action at his near post and Stewart curling a 25-yard free kick wide.

Their spirit was eventually rewarded when Beestin played in Stewart and, after his low shot was kept out by Coulson’s right leg, Chigumira pounced from eight yards.

Rob Hutton went on to glance a header wide and Stewart lifted a long-distance attempt over before Beestin fired a low volley in from 15 yards as the ball dropped to him in the box.

It was the cue for wild celebrations but, as extra-time loomed, one scare was survived when George Bolland missed the target from six yards, before the same player released Leadbeater through the left channel and he finished well across Coulson into his bottom-left corner.

Coach Michael Morton had nothing but praise for his players, though, at the final whistle, saying: “They followed our game plan to perfection and I’m really proud of all the boys.

“We had eight first-years out there and only one third-year, so we will learn from it and they will also be pushed by next year’s crop because we don’t want this to be a one-off. We want to get to this final every single year.”