KARL CONNOLLY dared not speak in the aftermath of Wrexham's heartbreaking FA Cup quarter-final defeat against Chesterfield because the striker knew he would burst into tears.

The Reds have built up a reputation for causing cup upsets over the years and Brian Flynn's third tier side once again wrote the headlines in the 1996-7 campaign.

Kevin Russell's last minute winner sent Premier League West Ham United packing in the third round and after beating Peterborough, Wrexham knocked out Birmingham - another side from a higher level - to set-up a last eight trip to Chesterfield.

It was a cagey all-Division Two affair at Saltergate and the tie was decided just before the hour mark following a moment of hesitation between Deryn Brace and goalkeeper Andy Marriott that allowed Chris Beaumont to steal in and score.

That proved to be the only goal of the game and you could hear a pin drop in the away changing room at Saltergate after the final whistle.

"It was heartbreaking," said Connolly. "Especially the way they scored, a mistake between Del Boy and Andy Marriott.

"Nobody spoke in the changing room afterwards.

"I think if you started to speak, you would start crying because it was so heartbreaking.

"I had a good career but it was definitely one of my worst moments in football.

"I got relegated once with Queens Park Rangers but nothing compares to that day."

Not even the return of Racecourse legend Gary Bennett, back at the club where he was a prolific scorer between 1992 and 1995, could inspire a Wrexham fight-back.

"We signed Benno back earlier on in the cup run," said Connolly.

"I started up front, we brought Benno on to try and get us a goal and I went to left-wing.

"I honestly thought if it ended up 0-0, we get them back to The Racecourse and we would win quite easily."

Supporters had packed into the Derbyshire ground for the high-noon Sunday showdown and Connolly was gutted for the travelling Reds' supporters.

"You felt sorry for the fans because when the final whistle went, you could see them all sat there really disappointed," said Connolly.

Connolly, who had scored the final goal to seal a 3-1 victory at Birmingham in the fifth round, experienced the highs and the lows of the famous cup competition that season.

"We beat West Ham and I remember my goal at Birmingham," said Connolly.

"It seemed to take forever to go in, it was like slow motion with everyone stood watching it and the crowd really quiet.

"We fancied ourselves in the next round but you go from a high like that to losing at Chesterfield.

"If Birmingham or West Ham had beaten us, then you say fair enough but Chesterfield, no disrespect to them, it wasn't great."

Chesterfield came close to causing a shock in the semi-finals, drawing 3-3 against top-flight Middlesbrough before losing the replay 3-0.

Had Wrexham overcome the Spireites in the sixth round, Connolly would have been confident of adding Boro to the Reds' list of scalps.

"To be honest, Chesterfield should have won the semi-final," said Connolly. "They had a goal disallowed after it hit the bar.

"We would have fancied our chances against Middlesbrough."

But there was revenge of sorts a couple of years later when Wrexham again made the journey to Chesterfield and this time won 3-0 in April 2000, and Connolly was at the forefront.

"In my time at Wrexham, I think the only time Chesterfield beat us was that day in the quarter-finals of the cup," added Connolly.

"They never beat us in the league.

"And a couple of years after we lost to them in the cup, I scored a hat-trick in our win that made them get relegated so I was quite happy about that!"