Ben Burnett ensured a fairytale ending to the season as Golcar United came from behind to clinch promotion via the play-offs.
Midfielder Burnett came off the bench and scored the winner as the Weavers beat Holker Old Boys, the team that finished above them, on their own turf.
Burnett is a Golcar lad and he’d already sealed a place in the club’s history when he scored Golcar’s first goal as a semi-professional club. It was fitting he was the hero again.
Golcar had topped the table in the North West Counties Division One North in the first half of the season but fell away after February to end the campaign in third spot.
The Weavers, however, showed the fighting spirit they’d shown right from the start of the season and weren’t to be denied, despite a long away trip to Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria.
Golcar went 1-0 down but equalised thanks to an own goal sending the game into extra-time, the second time in the space of a week the Weavers had to play extra-time.
Last week against AFC Blackpool Golcar went down to 10 men and held out for penalties. This time they had a secret weapon on the bench in the form of Burnett, who was set up for the winner by fellow sub Malakai Phillip.
The celebrations after the game were long and loud and teammate Alex Hallam said: “It’s an unbelievable feeling. Everyone is delighted all the hard work this season has paid off.
“I think people wrote us off a little after the run we went on so it was nice to prove them wrong as well. This club is going places and a special mention has to go to Sippy (Burnett) who came on and got the winner. He’s a local hero!”
