Kallum Cesay etched his name into Salford City folklore with a dramatic extra-time winner that sealed a thrilling 4-3 aggregate victory over Grimsby Town and booked the Ammies a place in the League Two play-off final at Wembley.

In front of a packed Peninsula Stadium, the Sierra Leone forward kept his composure deep into extra time, calmly slotting beyond Jackson Smith to spark wild celebrations among the home supporters.

The victory sends Salford to Wembley for the first time since their 2019 promotion triumph and caps an emotional season filled with highs, heartbreak, and resilience.

After carrying a 2-1 advantage from the first leg, Salford appeared in control when Dan Udoh fired them ahead early in the second half following a dangerous set-piece. Karl Robinson’s side looked destined for a comfortable evening, but Grimsby produced a stunning turnaround in just four minutes.

Captain Kieran Green pulled one back with a glancing header before setting up substitute Jaze Kabia to level the tie on aggregate, although both goals were surrounded by controversy.

Salford struggled to regain momentum as the game drifted into extra time, where tension gripped the stadium, and chances became scarce. With penalties looming, Cesay delivered the decisive moment three minutes from the end of extra time.

Latching onto a loose ball after a tiring Grimsby defence failed to clear, the 23-year-old showed remarkable calm to fire low into the corner and send thousands of Salford fans into delirium.

The emotional scenes were made even more poignant by Cesay’s difficult recent months, having battled injury while mourning the passing of his father.

As the final whistle sounded, supporters flooded the pitch in celebration. At the same time, manager Karl Robinson praised his match-winner’s courage and character, declaring there could have been no more fitting hero on a historic night for the club.