Supporters were put through the mill for the second time in a week as Paul Marshall's side needed penalties once again, but it was all worth it in the end as promotion was secured after an eleven year stay in the NCEL Premier.

There was one change from the victory over Rossington; Jordan Emery made a welcome return after a spell out injured with Alex Zachariou making way.

Admittedly the match wasn't a classic, although understandable given what was at stake. A tense and cagey affair unfolded, with quality in the final third lacking for both sides. With Garforth struggling to get their attacking game going, Albion shaded the first half, with attacking fullback Kareem Hassan Smith causing us problems down the right. Dominic Staunton put a curling strike just over the bar on 12 mins, before a couple of half chances for The Miners. Sam Barker's header from Rinor Ejupi's cross went wide and a header (or deflection?) from a Dexter Ball free kick brought a routine save from Lions keeper George McMahon. There were appeals for an Albion penalty on 37 mins, when the visitors claimed a ball into the box struck the hand of a Town player, but after Lewis Waddington's deflected shot went wide, the referee ruled against one and gave the corner kick.

Garforth's best chance of the half, and probably the game, came just before the interval with Charlie Marshall's glancing header from Dan Coupland's corner going inches over.

Town were slightly the better side in the second half, but clear-cut chances were still at a premium. Ellis Wade went close for Albion on 53 mins with a deflected shot wide of the near post after the ball was played through the middle. A Kieran Suddards half-volley was well over the bar eleven minutes later after a corner-kick was only half-cleared. Substitute Matt Antcliff added his usual injection of pace just before the hour mark, and by the end we looked the likelier to score. Jay Davis put a low shot wide after a corner was headed out, then down the other end Thomas Ponter volleyed wide after Town gave away possession. Moments later, Antcliff looked to have raced away from the last defender, but Eisa Faulding did well to prevent a shot on goal. A free-kick 25 yards out saw us in with a good chance to finally open the scoring, but sub Max Tweddle's effort failed to beat the Albion wall. The final chance came in injury time when Dominic Staunton's deflected pass found ex-Town striker Hass Gorji who fired low at the side netting.

Once again a play-off tie had to be decided by penalties, with Town going first and in a case of "If it ain't broke..." the penalty takers in the same order as last Saturday. Marshall converted his in front of the Strawberry End to get us off the mark. Aran Basi stepped up for Albion, but Harry Flatters pulled off a cracking save down to his left to give us the advantage. The visitors were now relying on a Garforth miss, but again, The Miners never flinched. Coupland, Tweddle and Zachariou all converted, as did Lions Staunton, Waddington and Kamron Basi, leaving Davis with the decisive fifth. The midfielder duly sent McMahon the wrong way to spark jubilant scenes, with Town supporters both young and old taking to the pitch. Unlike our last promotion to the NPL in 2007, decided by events off the field in the close season (although a handful of Town fans did celebrate with champagne outside the Miners Arms one afternoon in June, possibly in sunny weather), these felt like proper celebrations which continued in the clubhouse long after 'Captain Coups' and teammates had lifted the play-off trophy. Credit to our opponents Albion too for their sporting reaction despite the cruel way these things are decided, and they can be proud of a best league finish in eight years.

After the promotion pushes of this and the two seasons beforehand, it's easy to forget there's been some tough times at the Bannister Prentice Stadium in the last eleven years, but after much hard work on and off the field, there's a real buzz around the club nowadays which is testament to all those who made it happen. The club has been built into something the local community can be proud of and is in a great place to face the challenges NPL football will bring. Up the Miners!