Darlington’S goal-hero Chris Senior hopes his extra-time winner in the FA Trophy final will convince Mark Cooper to offer him a new contract at the club.

Senior popped up in the final second of extra-time to give Quakers a dramatic lastgasp win over Mansfield Town at Wembley on Saturday.

The diminutive striker reacted quickest to head past Stags’ keeper Alan Marriot after Tommy Wright’s effort had rebounded off the bar as the clock struck 120 minutes.

Senior arrived at the Northern Echo Arena last summer from fellow conference side Altrincham, but his future at the club is uncertain, with the 29-year-old one of a number of players out of contract this summer.

Quakers boss Cooper is set to sit down with those players this week to discuss their futures, and Senior hopes his last-minute heroics might persuade his manager to keep him at the Arena.

Senior believes Saturday’s win will give Darlington a massive boost in their quest for promotion back to the Football League next season and the striker hopes he will be around to be part of it.

“It’s massive, not just for the club but for Darlington and the surrounding area,”

said Senior.

“Hopefully it can give the club a boost and bring us a bit of support, some media interest and a bit of national interest.

“Hopefully that can carry on for next season, if I’m here.

I’m out of contract but hopefully that might have gone some way to earning me a new deal.”

Senior was a serious doubt for the trip to Wembley after limping off with a calf injury at Hayes and Yeading three weeks ago, but after making an unexpected recovery, the 29-year-old entered the game as a 62nd-minute substitute.

Quakers had gone agonisingly close to taking the lead, with Wright and Marc Bridge- Wilkinson both striking the woodwork, but the game looked destined for penalties with the sides still level going into the final minute.

Seconds later though, Senior leapt to head in the winner and the 5ft 4in striker admits he had tears in his eyes as he raced away to celebrate.

“Now I’ve settled down, it’s outrageous,” Senior said.

“Words can’t describe how I felt. Luckily there was a bit of a pile-on in the corner because I could feel a few tears come to my eyes, but I think I got a dead leg from Tommy Wright jumping on me!

“It’s the best moment of my life, except for getting married, but don’t tell the Mrs that! There had been a few bits and bobs bouncing round the box, Tommy’s hit the post and the bar, their keeper’s made a good save, but as a striker you just try to follow your instincts and follow things in.

“After Bridgey hit the post the ball bounced past me, but you keep going. You do start thinking it’s going to go to penalties but you’ve got to concentrate for 120 minutes and luckily it’s fallen to me and I’ve stuck it away. It’s a dream come true to score a winner at Wembley.”

After featuring quite heavily at the beginning of the season, Senior spent over two months out after suffering a knee injury in December.

When he returned, the striker found himself way down the pecking order at the Arena after the January acquisitions of Nathan Modest and John Campbell.

Senior said: “What a way to end the season, but it’s been possibly one of the worst seasons in my career, through frustration, not lack of endeavor.

“Missing a few months with a knee injury and then getting a calf injury three weeks ago, it looked like I wasn’t going to be in the squad today, so to get a place on the bench and score a winner is fairytale stuff.

“I think my last goal was against AFC Wimbledon away, so London’s been kind to me this season. To be honest, if someone had said you’ll score a winner at Wembley after two injuries, I’d have snapped their hands off.”

Although it was the first visit to the national stadium for most of Quakers’ squad, Senior is one player who has experienced it.

After being released from Halifax Town in 2007, the Huddersfield- born front man trained as a masseur and was part of the Sheffield United backroom staff when they were beaten by Burnley in the 2009 Championship play-off final.

After the final whistle was blown on Saturday, Senior celebrated wearing a special Tshirt.

He explained: “It’s my sister, Ellie’s, 16th birthday tomorrow so she’s given up her party antics for the weekend and they were here today.

“That was on the front and then on the back, it said, ‘sorry mum, I’ve got a new tattoo,’ so she won’t be too pleased with that!”.