A JUBILANT Gavin Cogdon admitted a sense of jealousy had spurred Spennymoor Town's players to their thrilling FA Vase triumph at Wembley.

Despite being crowned Northern League champions in each of the previous three seasons, Moors had been forced to watch their rivals from Whitley Bay, Dunston and West Auckland enjoy a showpiece appearance at the home of English football.

Unable to translate their league form to the Vase, Spennymoor suffered a series of dispiriting defeats that left a gaping hole in a list of otherwise impressive achievements.

All of that changed at the weekend though as Moors beat Tunbridge Wells in their maiden Wembley appearance, and the disappointment of previous seasons only made the joy at their success even more intense.

"There was definitely a bit of jealousy," said Cogdon, whose 18th-minute opener played a crucial role in Spennymoor's success. "You see clubs you're playing against getting the chance to lift a trophy at Wembley and you just want to experience what they're going through.

"It was hard to keep missing out, but now we don't have to worry about that. I don't think any of us really knew what to expect, but everything about the day was amazing. I'd like to think other people have been looking on and are jealous of us now."

Cogdon went into Saturday's game with ten FA Vase goals for the season, and it is safe to assume the 11th will now be the most cherished of his career.

The gym instructor was one of the smallest players on the pitch, but still rose unchallenged to head home Keith Graydon's chipped cross.

His celebration was even more memorable than his finish as he cavorted in front of the Tunbridge Wells fans before producing the handstand that has become his trademark on the Northern League scene.

"A few people had asked me whether I was going to do it at Wembley," he said. "Let's be honest, if I've done it all round the Northern League, I wasn't going to not do it at Wembley was I?

"Their supporters gave me a bit of stick afterwards, but I wasn't going to let that bother me. It's not often you get to score at Wembley so I was certainly going to enjoy the moment."

His celebrations became even more pronounced at the final whistle, with the entire Spennymoor squad frolicking in front of the 4,500-or-so fans who made the long trip from the North-East.

"It was amazing to see so many supporters there," he said. "The club has done brilliantly to get everyone involved and it was a brilliant occasion.

"We had a great night before the game in the team hotel, and Wembley was everything we all hoped it would be and more.

"The stadium is amazing, although I couldn't believe how hot it was down on the pitch and how tiring it was after the first 15 or 20 minutes. I don't think we've ever been as exhausted, but we said we would run ourselves into the ground and that's exactly what we did."