LIVERPOOL and Manchester United have produced stunning cup comebacks, but Holywell Town’s arguably tops the lot.

The Wellmen looked dead and buried when trailing 2-0 to Conwy United in the Welsh Trophy final at Belle Vue back in 2011 with 90 minutes on the clock.

But out of nowhere, a brace of penalties from Steve Thomas drew Holywell level, before Tony Hogan snatched a dramatic winner deep into time added on.

Man of the match Thomas, captained by brother Gareth and managed by father Mike, said: “We had just conceded five minutes before which deflated us and I thought that was it.

“But we were a group of mates playing together and we had unbelievable team spirit so we never gave in.”

Thomas wasn’t alone in his thinking, eventual match-winner Hogan conceding: “As the clock ticked down and the score now 2-0 I think maybe we were playing for a bit of pride and making sure we kept our standards high.”

The momentum changed in an instant as Mark Orme was sent-off for handling on the line and Thomas stepped up to halve the deficit.

“Once we scored the first though, I just knew we would go on to win it with the momentum and them going down to 10-men, but I thought we were going to have to do it in extra time,” said Thomas, who found himself 12 yards from friend Danny Stanton in the Conwy goal once again just moments later.

If Thomas was cool and collected taking the first spot-kick, he felt the importance of the second one.

He said: “The first I wasn’t that nervous because I thought it would just be a consolation but the second I definitely felt it.

“We took a huge amount of supporters that day, the atmosphere was brilliant and I can just remember thinking ‘just hit the target just to keep us in the game’.

“I actually didn’t connect that well with the second and went straight down the middle but thankfully it went in.”

At the front of the queue of team-mates eager to celebrate with Thomas was Hogan, whose own goal five minutes from time looked to have handed Conwy the trophy.

“The relief when it went in and how it fired us up was unreal, I think I dived on him,” said Hogan, who vividly remembers the sinking feeling he felt after putting Paul Cassidy’s cross past his own goalkeeper, Dave Walsh.

He said: “I wished the ground could have swallowed me up and seeing the kick in the teeth it was for the lads who were working so hard was tough.

“We had to just go again, so dusted myself off an carried on.”

It was perhaps fitting then that it was Hogan who would be given the chance to win it for Holywell deep into stoppage time.

“Being honest it happened in a flash, we had them on the ropes and they were trying to get to the final whistle so that they could re-group for extra time,” said Hogan. “Momentum was massively with us and we were winning every challenge and header and forced them into mistake after mistake.

“We forced them into conceding a corner, which we knew must have been our last chance, Ste put a lovely ball in, Ashley Durham rose and headed back across goal, it just came across lovely for me and I had the simple task of finishing it.

“I couldn’t believe it to be honest, five minutes earlier it was likely ending as a nightmare for us and especially me, so I was just shocked that we’d actually managed to turn it round.”

Thomas fancied Holywell’s chances with the scores level, but thought any winner would have to wait for extra time.

“Once it went 2-2, I thought we would go on to win it in extra time with having an extra man and the momentum,” he said. “You always think in that situation just get one more chance, but I didn’t think we would win it in added on time.

“There’s some brilliant pictures of the pitch invasion after Tony’s goal. It’s the first time I had seen the whole town get behind us like that.”

The full time whistle blew soon after and Holywell had secured their first piece of silverware in 13 years, which proved a turning point for the club.

“There’s not a Holywell player or fan that will say otherwise,” said Thomas. “It gave us a financial boost, brought fans back to watch and gave us the confidence to keep progressing.

“I still think we would’ve got there eventually with the players we had in our squad but I think the win just progressed us quicker.”

And the post match celebrations were extra special.

Hogan said: “Honestly that was the best part about it, like I said the crowd on the day was massive, a testament to the people of the area and how they get behind their own.

“The final whistle went and everyone stormed the pitch, I remember being at the bottom of a massive pile of players and fans, it was class. To celebrate with great players, who were also my very good mates, was an amazing feeling.”

Thomas added: “It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had in football, winning it would’ve been enough but the way we did it made it more special. The on-pitch celebrations were brilliant but we stayed out in Holywell afterwards with a load of the fans, it was a brilliant night.

“I don’t remember too much of the night but I seem to remember the current manager (John Haseldin) setting up a dentist chair with the cup!”