WEMBLEY was the prize they were playing for when Wanderers went head-to-head with local rivals Wigan Athletic in May 1986.

These were the early days of the derby rivalry between the two near-neighbours – the Latics having only been elected to the Football League in 1982.

Nevertheless, tensions were high when the teams met in the two-legged Northern Area final of the Freight Rover Trophy and it could hardly have been a more fiercely contested duel – Wigan had finished fourth in Division Three, 14 places higher than Wanderers.

The outcome on that particular Friday evening at Burnden Park, was in the balance right up to the final nail-biting minutes.

Leading 1-0 from the first leg at Springfield Park a week earlier, courtesy of a Tony Caldwell goal, Wanderers started favourites but they froze in the first half as Paul Jewell scored to level the aggregate scores.

George Oghani nudged Wanderers back in front just after an hour but it was still touch and go until that man Caldwell scored two minutes from time to make it 2-1 on the night, 3-1 on aggregate.

Wanderers were heading to Wembley for the first time since 1958.