If there was a goal worthy of sending any side to a final, then Owura Edwards' strike was certainly up there.
In an evenly-fought contest in which chances were coming at a premium, the Bristol City youngster decided to take matters into his own hands in the final few minutes, curling an unstoppable strike from distance into the far corner.
It was a game where two sides were very evenly balanced. City, who had finished second in their Southern League, up against Sheffield United who had finished top of theirs.
Two very decent young sides going up against each other had quite the potential to put on a show at the neutral venue in York. In truth, it turned out to be a cagey affair with the pair cancelling either side out for long periods.
It needed a moment of quality, provided by the returning forward who had been denied by a wonder save and the crossbar just minutes before.
The narrow 1-0 victory means City have now gone one better than last season by qualifying for National League final against either Ispwich or Coventry who do battle tomorrow. With the likes of Sam Bell, Tommy Conway, Duncan Idehen and Ryley Towler on the field, here are the two notable performances from the young Robins' side.
Owura Edwards
The forward was back in a Bristol City shirt following his two loan spells this season that have taken him high and low across the country in League Two.
Edwards, 21, initially joined Exeter on loan at the start of the season but was recalled in January having made just three league starts and seven substitute appearances having failed to register a goal or assists.
Recalled in January, just days later he was lining up for Colchester where Edwards enjoyed more success, scoring three and assisting two in 13 league appearances.
He has one more year left on his contract at City after penning an extension around a year ago so any chance to impress would surely be gratefully received and imperative if Edwards is to have a future at Ashton Gate.
The game this afternoon was a golden opportunity to show any signs of improvement following his season away in the lower leagues. Games against the likes of Hartlepool, Carlisle and Oldham would certainly be a lesson in the school of hard knocks.
Edwards started out on the right but was allowed the freedom to drift centrally and eventually over the left as he looked to make an impact and get himself on the ball.
Throughout the first half, with City struggling to generate any sort of attack, Edwards found himself backtracking. A dogged determination to win the ball back deep in his own half and provide cover for both Zac Bell and Callum Wood defending the flanks.
It took seven minutes to show off his pace, darting inside the defenders before winning a free-kick from a referee overly determined to blow his whistle throughout.
Edwards was making his first start since a 3-0 win over Bradford on March 15 and he could therefore be excused for looking a little rusty having had to dust off the cobwebs from his boots. His own frustrations grew in the first half when he was gifted space in a central position but seemed to get the ball tangled in his feet before his delayed pass lost the momentum of the attack.
We were forced to wait until the final 20 minutes to see his threat in front of goal, but it was his defending that stuck out the most and his willingness to help out his team-mates.
At one moment around the hour mark, he made an inch-perfect tackle on the edge of his own box to snuff out the danger. Up the other end, he provided a moment of quality down by the corner flag.
Faced up against his defender, boxed in a corner, Edwards showed a brilliant turn of pace and skill to get to the byline and dig out a cross out of nothing.
Then came his opportunity that cannoned off the crossbar. Conway fed Bell who had made the run into the box and his cross was just asking to be fired home by Edwards who had made the run from deep.
His strike looked destined to ripple the net if only for Jordan Amissah to tip it expertly onto the crossbar. It was a brilliant save that looked to have ensured the two sides were heading for extra-time.
Not on Edwards' watch. Just minutes were left on the clock when Woods' delivery was palmed away by Amissah straight into the feet of the City man. He took a touch to bring it under control, picks his corner and whips an unstoppable effort into the far corner.
What the future holds next season remains uncertain but the glimmer of quality in the strike and his work rate off the ball was certainly a positive sign.
Josh Owers
While the likes of Sam Bell, Conway, Edwards, Saikou Janneh, Ryley Towler and Duncan Idehen have all had a taste of first-team action whether it was this season or last, Owers is the one waiting in the wings for his opportunity.
Ironically, he is perhaps one the most 'ready' to make the step up to the first-team considering his consistently impressive performances for the Under-23s throughout the season.
The captain was a man on a mission from the start, up to his usual tricks we have become so accustomed to seeing at that level, winning the ball back, breaking up play and dropping deep to pick up the ball to restart possession.
His determination in the tackle prevented Sheffield United from creating any meaningful attacks both in the first and second halves. Goalkeeper Will Buse was only really tested from set-pieces, one in particular in the second half when he was alert to smother the ball on his goal line.
Owers' delivery caused one or two issues for the visitors. His first couple missed their intended targets but he soon found his range, unlucky not to have an assist when Janneh headed over the crossbar in the first half.
He played his part in the goal, spraying the initial pass out to Edwards on the left side before Wood had made the overlap.
Owers has forged a decent partnership with the energetic Dylan Kadji in the middle of the park, who has the potential and attributes to make the step up if he continues to progress.
Although it has been Owers appears to be the main driving force in midfield which was on show again as most of City's good play came through him in the middle of the park.
City's midfield is likely to see a couple of intriguing changes throughout the summer with Pearson on the lookout to bolster his options in the transfer market.
The terrible long-term injury to Ayman Benarous could mean Owers may be a step closer to getting his opportunity next season, especially if Han-Noah Massengo departs as expected. We already know Nigel Pearson is willing to give his youngsters the opportunity if they are deemed good enough.
Based on his performances this season, Owers should be in that category and hopefully a chance to train and play with the first-team over pre-season will provide the convincing that Pearson needs to roll the dice.
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