Dan Spinks proud of Romford team and club after FA Vase win

After a 2-2 draw at home to Lincoln United in the first leg of their semi-final, the pair could not be separated at Ashby Avenue, a 0-0 draw sending the game to penalties.

And after Lincoln missed their first two, Romford missed number three and four and sent the game to sudden death.

From there it was toe-to-toe until Jamie Hursit scored, handing Boro a 10-9 shoot-out success.

The day took it out of the boss but it is one he wouldn't swap for the world.

Jamie Hursit scores the winning penalty for Romford at Lincoln United. Picture: BOB KNIGHTLEY (Image: Bob Knightley)

Spinks said: "I’m so proud of this group I've got and so proud of the club. 

"From the chairman to the secretary to the kit man, we all have to work together to get to where we are. 

"We haven't got the finances that some other clubs have so everyone has to muck in. 

"And the players have all bought into the same thing of what is needed and everyone who has come in, it’s become a family. 

"It's OK winning but I'm winning with people that I want to win with. They’re all nice guys and we’ve become friends, a real good group of friends." 

The manager also believes to do it in the way they did, shows what the playing squad has.

He said: "We probably deserved it, no, we did deserve to win the game in 90 minutes. 

"We were the ones that didn't want the final whistle. If we could have had extra-time, we’d have snapped your hand off. 

"But the boys just give everything again and it all came good in the end. 

"I mean the pressure of scoring seven sudden death penalties to stay in it and win it takes some doing away from home."

Spinks revealed that after the initial joy had subsided, he had to spend 20 minutes on his own, just to allow his mind, and heartbeat, to calm down.

The final will be on May 11 against either Worcester or Great Wakering Rovers, with the former taking a 1-0 lead into the semi-final in Essex.

That date will obviously be firmly in the minds of all connected with the club in the intervening days and weeks.

And it was momentarily for Spinks before the reality of an Essex Senior League play-off push came hurtling back into his thoughts.

The boss said: "I'll be honest with you, coming back on the coach on Saturday night, I’d had a few beers and I told them they could have Tuesday off. 

"I’ve just rung them all up [on Monday morning] and said we're back in. 

"That's what the league means to me. 

"A few of them have moaned but they will all be there for sure because Wembley is a big day and they will all want to play on that day. 

"As I keep reiterating, the league was our priority. The Vase is a bonus and what a bonus it has turned out to be. 

"But we've got six league games, another semi-final in the league cup and it could be two play-off games. 

"They're going to have to be our priority for the next three or four weeks. 

"The group I’ve got won’t step off it though, they won’t let it slip and the buzz is so good at the minute that we’re getting that extra five to 10 per cent."

Wembley and the Vase final is a tantalising thought though and Spinks wants to win that too.

He added: "As I said in my team talk, my aim was to get and whatever happens on the day at Wembley, at least we've got the day to enjoy it, at least we've got that day out.  

"We can all say I've walked out at Wembley with you boys, we've walked out as a team and we've done it for our kids, our friends and our families. 

"That is what we do it all for. 

"Obviously we want to win, we want to win every game and you have to have a winning mentality to get this far. 

"If we lose in the final, we'll be gutted for an hour or two but we'll be proud of what we've achieved as well. 

"But we don't go out to lose any games and so we'll give a good account of ourselves."