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Nurse delivers a Wembley winner
04 June 2010
 | | WINNER: Jon Nurse strikes to make it 3-2 to Daggers at Wembley |
by MIKE SIMMONDS
MATCH-WINNER Jon Nurse couldn't quite believe he had netted the goal that sent Daggers into League One for the first time in their history.
With 20 minutes remaining and the scores level at 2-2, Nurse was left unmarked to convert Danny Green's corner and finally put the game beyond a battling Rotherham.
It was his eighth goal of the season, a best-ever return for the club, and Nurse was understandably on cloud nine after the game.
"What a feeling, it was emotional and words can't explain how I feel," said the forward, whose shot took a slight deflection on its way in from Millers winger Kevin Ellison
"I gambled in the box and it dropped for me.
"I was thinking just hit the target, hit the target, I didn't get the connection I wanted to, but I think that helped me in the end.
"It was going in, the keeper didn't move, if anything the deflection pushed it closer to the keeper, but it was a great feeling.
"I was struggling before I came off and I scored when I was injured."
Nurse's strike was his last action in the match as he was replaced immediately by Graeme Montgomery.
It meant the utility man had to watch the final moments from the side and he gave the Post an insight into how nervous it was.
"The last 15 minutes on the bench were the longest 15 minutes of my life I think," he laughed.
"I had Stuart Thurgood biting my shoulder and we went through all the emotions, until the joy when that final whistle went.
"We've achieved something that was absolutely remarkable.
"You don't want to come to Wembley and lose, so to come here and win is a great feeling."
Just three years ago, Nurse had been on the sidelines again at Wembley when Stevenage Borough won the FA Trophy by beating Kidderminster Harriers.
That day, the Barbados international didn't even get on to the field, let alone score the winner, so it was some turn of events for Nurse.
"I came here and didn't play last time," he said.
"To come here, play and score this time, is amazing."
Daggers will now enter new territory in League One next season, but despite naturally starting as underdogs, Nurse is relishing the opportunity.
"I don't think it will sink in until we're at St Mary's, then we can think 'wow we're here'," he said.
"When Dagenham got promoted to League Two, everyone backed them to go down and I'm sure they'll back us to go down again.
"We've got a great team spirit and a great gaffer. The boys believe and as long as we believe that's the main thing."
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