PENALTY shoot-outs – you either love them or loathe them – and right now Wrexham don’t mind them one bit!

Wrexham have been crowned 2013 FA Trophy champions following an absorbing final against Grimsby Town at Wembley.

The club was making its first ever Wembley appearance and after going behind in the second half, midfielder Kevin Thornton equalised from the penalty spot with just seven minutes remaining.

It was Thornton’s fifth goal of the season and the first time in three matches that Wrexham have scored against Grimsby this term, sending the game into extra-time.

This was no more than Wrexham deserved as they had been the better side throughout.

The sides couldn’t be separated in the half an hour that followed, although Wrexham made all the running and came closest to scoring as they created some decent opportunities but Mariners keeper James McKeown was in excellent form.

After 120 minutes, the game had to be decided on penalties and Wrexham raced into a 3-0 lead as substitute Adrian Cieslewicz, who had been a real threat since his introduction, Danny Wright and Chris Westwood all put away their spot-kicks while Sam Hatton and Richard Brodie missed for Grimsby.

Joe Colbeck finally got Grimsby off the mark but the Mariners were left with a mountain to climb and when the impressive Johnny Hunt made no mistake with his effort from 12 yards, Wrexham emerged victorious 4-1 on penalties.

It is another memorable day in Wrexham’s 149 year history and comes on the back of the LDV Vans Trophy triumph against Southend United at the Millennium Stadium in 2005.

It was an afternoon to remember for long suffering Wrexham supporters who have stood by their club through thick and thin, with nearly 18,000 braving the wintry weather to cheer their heroes on in London.

Promotion remains the priority and with eight games remaining, Wrexham are in excellent position, but everyone connected with the club can savour this moment because they deserve it.

There were tears of joy and pride after Hunt’s goal secured victory and fans will be hoping there is a lot more to celebrate in the coming weeks.

A league and cup double would be fantastic so hopefully Wrexham can finish the job off and clinch a place back in the Football League.

There was not a great deal surprise about the starting line-up which showed two changes from the side that drew against Luton in the previous outing.

Skipper Dean Keates returned to the Reds’ midfield after serving a two-match suspension in place of Joe Clarke who dropped to the substitutes bench while Morrell took over in attack from Dele Adebola who was ineligible.

Left-back Neil Ashton failed to recover from an ankle injury so Johnny Hunt retained his place in defence, while goalkeeper Andy Coughlin was also named among the replacements.

Grimsby were quick out of the blocks and a fifth minute corner led to Frankie Artus blasting over the bar while Wrexham quickly responded with a promising attack of their own but Jay Harris was unable to get on the end of Hunt’s cross.

Wrexham began to settle and Keates’ centre was only just beyond Morrell following a well costructed move while Grimsby captain Craig Disley was lucky to avoid being showed a yellow card - let alone a red - after a two footed lunge on Keates.

Harris, showing superb footwork, came close to breaking the deadlock in the 21st minute when Thornton cut out a sloppy pass but his shot just cleared the bar and the midfielder also fired wide at the end of patient approach play.

Wrexham had been the better side and on top as the half progressed but it remained goalless at the interval with few chances at either end.

But Morrell came close to breaking the deadlock five minutes into the second half, Grimsby goalkeeper McKeown slipped as he went to collect opposite number Chris Maxwell’s long clearance but he recovered well to save Morrell’s effort and also blocked Thornton’s follow-up.

Bouyed by the opening, Wrexham continued to press and Danny Wright’s close range show drifted narrowly wide from Stephen Wright’s corner.

Eager to freshen things up, Morrell took himself off and was replaced by Cieslewicz on 61 minutes and the substitute was soon in the thick of the action, playing in Hunt whose cross from the by-line was headed over the bar by Brett Ormerod.

However, Grimsby took a 1-0 lead in the 71st minute.

Joe Colbeck broke clear down the right and crossed to Andy Cook whose shot was saved by Maxwell but the striker made no mistake with his follow-up.

Wrexham responded with Chris Westwood heading onto the roof of the net from Keates’ free-kick while Rob Ogleby came on for Ormerod just before Cieslewicz brought a save out of McKeown after getting the better of Colbeck, and the substitute then teed up Keates who was brought down in the area by Shaun Pearson.

Referee Jonathan Moss had no heistation in pointing to the penalty spot and Thornton made no mistake, sending McKeown the wrong way with his spot kick in the 83rd minute.

There was no let-up from Wrexham who went in search of a winner and Harris’s rocket shot was palmed away by McKeown before Clarke replaced Thornton with two minutes remaining,  but the midfielder was given longer on the pitch as the game went into extra-time.

Wrexham saw plenty of the ball in the opening period without creating anything until Harris was just too high from 20 yards while Grimsby didn’t threaten at the other end.

Cieslewicz almost gave Wrexham the lead one minute before the turnaround but his volley from Danny Wright’s knock down was brilliantly turned away by McKeown, and there was still time for the goalkeeper to deny the Pole following another attack.

The second period of extra-time began with Colbeck’s long range shot drifting wide for Grimsby while Danny Wright was off target with a header at the other end.

Wrexham continued to pressure and Danny Wright’s goalbound drive was blocked by Pearson while Cieslewicz was denied by McKeown.

There was just one minute remaining when McKeown turned Danny Wright’s shot onto the post following good work by Ogleby but time got the better of Wrexham and Grimsby so the game had to be decided on penalties.

And it was Wrexham who held their nerve, converting four of their penalties as Grimsby buckled under the pressure, and the Reds left Wembley as Trophy champions.

GRIMSBY TOWN (4-4-2): McKeown 7; Hatton 6, Pearson 7, Miller 7, Thomas 7; Colbeck 7, Disley 6, Artus 6, Marshall 6 (Brodie 87); Hannah 6 (Thanoj 56), Cook 6. Subs not used: Devitt, Wood, John-Lewis.

WREXHAM (4-3-3): Maxwell 7; Stephen Wright 7, Westwood 7, Riley 7, Hunt 8; Harris 7, Keates 7, Thornton 7 (Clarke 88); Danny Wright 7, Morrell 7(Cieslewicz 61), Ormerod 7 (Ogleby 77). Subs not used: Coughlin, Little.

Referee: Jonathan Moss, West Riding.

Attendance: 35,266.

Match Rating (1-5): ***

Moan of the Match: There wasn’t one on a memorable day for Wrexham FC.

Magic Moment: Left-back Johnny Hunt converted the decisive penalty that saw Wrexham crowned 2013 Trophy champions.

Man of the Match: Johnny Hunt was excellent in both defence and attack, and he held his nerve from the spot.