We love football because of it's glorious unpredictability. On a different day, these two sides could line up against each other and The Hillmen would come out on top. Sadly on Sunday it was Whitley Bay who were the victors as Glossop's magnificent 9 month FA Vase adventure ended with Wembley defeat.

Matches are won on details – the little rubs of the green that go against you or for you, and Whitley had the good fortune when it mattered and they took full advantage. The biggest detail was in first half injury time when the ball fell to North End's Dave Morris in the box. His goal-bound shot would have been the equaliser, but was blocked by a defender. Almost before he could take his hands off his head, the Bay had cleared to the other end and engineered a two on one situation that Paul Chow took with aplomb to deliver a hammer blow to Steve Young's charges.

The game was a terrific advert for football at this level, much more entertaining than the FA Trophy the day before. From the off, it was an open game, with both sides looking to strike early. Bailey had a shot blocked that dribbled through to the keeper, whilst Hamilton was lively up front, creating space and trying to stretch the defence.

There had been no shots that had tested either keeper though, but that all changed on 17 minutes when Adam Johnson attempted an amazing lob from the edge of the centre circle in his own half. He had spotted Matt Cooper off his line and the shot was dropping in too but for Cooper's furious back-pedalling and pushed save onto the bar.

5 minutes later it was Glossop's turn to rattle the goal-frame as Nick Allen cut in from the left hand side and unleashed a fierce drive from 25 yards that hit the corner of the goal and bounced to safety.

Hamilton had a shot saved at the near post and Hodges tried to curl into the top of the net when a pass might have been a better option before Whitley broke the deadlock on 36 minutes. Lee Kerr took the ball at the edge of the area and flicked it between Kay and Gorton. The two Glossop men collided with each other, allowing Kerr the chance to run around them, and he finished with an accurate shot that beat Cooper at his near post.

It had been an even game until then, and Glossop tried to restore parity before half time, but Bailey's cross was between Hamilton and Hodges. Then came that game changing 15 seconds in injury time, with Morris' blocked shot, Lugsden's missed header on halfway, and Chow's superb slot home.

North End took 25 minutes to recover from the shock as the second half began, and Matt Cooper was the busier keeper in that time, saving with his legs from McFarlane and full length from Moore at his near post. He could do nothing about a header on 68 minutes, but fortunately the ball crashed against the bar and bounced away to safety. Chow should also have scored from a corner, but contrived to put the ball over the bar when it looked easier to score.

And then Glossop's character started to show as they finally recovered to try to set up a barnstorming finish. On 77 minutes Hodges finally escaped the shackles of his marker, Taylor, to run through on goal. He lifted the ball over the onrushing keeper, but he was too close to goal and also lifted the ball over the net. The keeper then spilled a cross from the winger, but the ball fell to a Whitley player rather than the lurking mark Balfe – the details again denying the Hillmen.

Tom Bailey had a shot blocked, Morris two, as North End won a number of corners. Whitley escaped the siege once, and Moore could have finished it, but Cooper again saved with his legs.

Hodges claimed a penalty for handball – not given. He also had a shot saved when again a cup back to the edge of the area was probably the better option. Even in the fourth minute of injury time, they were still trying to net, but Morris' sidefoot shot was just the wrong side of the post.

It had been a terrific effort from the Hillmen, spurred on by a fantastic support of nearly 6000. In the end, it wasn't quite enough, and the better side on the day picked up the vase. But North End's disappointed team should all be aware that those watching, and those involved in the club, could not be more proud of their achievements this season.

Team – Cooper, Young, Kay, Lugsden, Yates, Gorton, R Bailey (Hind), Morris, Allen (T Bailey), Hamilton (Balfe), Hodges
Subs not used – Whelan, Parker