Nationwide Conference Final
Exeter City 1 Morecambe 2
20 May 2007

Attendance: 40,043

Morecambe clinched promotion to League Two after Danny Carlton scored a late winner in the Conference play-off final at Wembley.

The Shrimps found themselves behind to Exeter after just eight minutes when, after a quickly-taken free-kick, Lee Phillips converted a header into the bottom-right corner of the net from Jon Challinor's right-wing cross.

Sammy McIlroy's side could not have been given a better opportunity to equalise when Chris Todd fouled Carlton in the penalty area and Wayne Curtis stepped up to take the spot-kick.

But Paul Jones in the Exeter goal was equal to his effort, diving to his right to parry the shot and then blocking the penalty taker's follow-up effort with his legs to preserve his side's slender lead.

However, Morecambe didn't let their heads drop and were rewarded for their resilience when the equaliser came on 42 minutes.

Garry Thompson capitalised on a defensive error from Exeter and sent the ball into the back of the net with his left foot from 16 yards to restore parity.

The scores were level at half-time following a frenetic first half, although the pace of the game came back down to normal levels as the second half progressed.

Neither side looked willing to risk too much as the clock ticked towards full-time but there were still two more significant moments to come in the match.

Morecambe's Carlton, apparently outnumbered, was sent chasing after a long ball in the 82nd minute but managed to gain possession, work the ball onto his left foot and send a shot towards the top-left corner of Jones' goal.

Shrimps fans in the colossal stands of Wembley were sent into delirium as the ball sailed past the helpless Grecians goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

The goal looked like being enough to send Morecambe into the Football League for the first time in their history as Exeter struggled to get back into the match.

Frustration got the better of Paul Tisdale's side as they pushed for an equaliser in the dying minutes and Matt Gill was shown his marching orders for headbutting Morecambe's Craig Stanley right in front of the referee.

But the Shrimps held on to record a famous moment in the history of the Christie Park club.

Exeter bookings: Todd

Morecambe bookings: Carlton

Sent off: Gill (Exeter)

Ref: M Oliver