IT has taken 134 years but Lincoln City are going to Wembley for the first time in their history.
Chelsea’s talented development side showed character, resilience and defiance to take the home side to a dramatic penalty shootout.
The youngsters with average age of 18 compared to Lincoln’s 26, were battered and bruised after withstanding a barrage of long balls.
Marshalled by the mightily impressive Ethan Ampadu, their defending was outstanding but they finally cracked on 70 minutes.
A deep cross was headed in by captain Luke Waterfall to spark mass celebrations in the stand.
But Chelsea’s senior side could learn a lot from their understudies when they showed real fight to equalise just eight minutes later.
17-year-old Daishawn Redan smashed in the leveller and Chelsea rode their luck in the final seconds to take the game to penalties.
It was advantage Chelsea when Samuel Habergham missed Lincoln’s first of the night.
Eden Hazard’s brother, Kylian, put Chelsea ahead but Ampadu’s effort crashed off the inside of the post much to his agony.
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The rest of Lincoln’s penalty’s were faultless and when Jacob Maddox saw his saved, Frecklington bagged the winner to spark a mass pitch invasion.
With one side jubilant, Chelsea looked desolate but they can keep their heads held high.
They were the first development side to reach the final four of the Checkatrade Trophy and with the likes of Ampadu and Callum Hudon-Odoi, they have some exciting prospects among their ranks.
Lincoln will now take on Yeovil at Wembley after Francois Zoko stunned Fleetwood with a last minute goal in a 3-2 win.
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