Kallum Cesay struck deep into extra-time to send Salford City to the League Two play-off final after a thrilling 4-3 aggregate win over Grimsby.
Leading 2-1 from the first leg, Salford struck early in the second half at the Peninsula Stadium through Dan Udoh.
Grimsby, however, then hit back with two controversial goals. The first, a header from Kieran Green that appeared to hit the arm of Jaze Kabia en-route to goal. With the second goal, the forward appeared to be offside before he slotted in.
But as it looked liked it was heading for penalties, Cesay stepped up to score the most important goal in Salford's history.
Salford struck first in the second leg. After a quiet first half they netted early in the second, with Udoh volleying low and hard into the back of the net after the ball fell to him at a corner.
It look like the Ammies were sauntering into the final, but in four minutes - the tie was turned on its head. And there was serious controversy about both Grimsby goals.
The first, a header from Kieran Green from a corner, appeared to clip Jaze Kabia's arm on the way through. The second, Kabia again finishing, but it looked like he was just offside when he converted Green's cross.
The game went to extra-time, but there would be no penalty shoot-out thanks to Cesay. A scorer in the first leg, he showed composure again when through on goal to score the most important goal
Then Cesay stepped up, through on goal before he finished with sensational composure. Salford have been trying to get out of League Two for seven years, they are now just one game away.
A clearly-emotional Salford City boss Karl Robinson was full of praise for Kallum Cesay for overcoming recent personal battles to become their semi-final hero.
The 23-year-old's father recently passed away while he was dealing with an injury that kept him out for several months in the second half of the season.
"If I could write a script it would be for Kallum Cesay," Robinson told Your Site. You can see me getting emotional.
"He's been through so much, with the injury, his dad passing and the funeral [recently].
"We're so thankful to be in a sport we love, but we're all human beings and we all have a life outside of this, and we have our troubles outside of it as well.
"He's gone out there today and done everyone proud."
