The last time the Metropolitan Police found themselves in the final of the London Senior Cup was back in 1941, when they lost 2-1 to Barnet.

History was not to be repeated at Harrow Borough FC on Wednesday night against a strong AFC Wimbledon who have finished in the top half of the Blue Square Premier.

It was hard to keep up with the score as both teams were guilty of lapses in concentration after scoring, allowing the other side to equalise within minutes.

It was the Police who had the opening chances.

Gary Drewett went close with two headers - one just wide of the post and the other well saved by Dons keeper Seb Brown.

On 18 minutes, the Blues were one down as Danny Kedwell drove in a cross.

Drewett volleyed in Craig Brown's cross for the equaliser just six minutes later but, within a minute, the unmarked Luke Moore tapped in a cross from close range to put Wimbledon back in front.

Into the second half and Wimbledon appeared happy to defend and attack on the breakaway.

On 65 minutes with one of these breaks, the Police gave away a soft penalty for a clumsy tackle.

Elliott Godfrey made no mistake with the spot-kick to make it 3-1.

Minutes later, Police keeper Mo Maan collapsed injured and the game was stopped for treatment to be provided.

It was during this stoppage the Police Helicopter India 99 chose to fly across the ground. It proved an omen.

When play restarted, the Police were up for it and it was one-way traffic towards the AFC Wimbledon goal.

Rob Smith and then Police captain Steve Sutherland both had headers that just shaved the wrong side of the bar.

Finally, on 77 minutes, Brown made a great run and pulled the ball back for Drewett to drive home and make it 3-2.

Ten minutes later came the deserved equaliser.

A long Brown corner found Vernon Francis on the far side to head home the equaliser.

The big man could not believe it and neither could the large contingent of the AFC Wimbledon supporters.

Wimbledon suddenly realised they needed to snatch a winner but missed two sitters in stoppage time that they would live to regret.

Into extra time and, suddenly, the impossible seemed possible.

A small contingent of no more than 10 Police supporters roared their team on.

But, with just five minutes remaining of the extra time, Dons midfielder Ricky Welland found the net to make it 4-3.

Still the Blues were not beaten and, straight from the restart, they drove into the AFC Wimbledon area and there was skipper Sutherland to head home the equaliser as time ran out.

What a game and more was to come with the penalty shoot-out.

Godfrey's miss at 3-3 gave Paul Honey the chancde to win it, and the experienced midfielder made no mistake to secure probably one of the greatest results recorded in the long history of Metropolitan Police FC.

A deserved win against a better side on paper but, as Blues boss Jim Cooper had said before kick-off: ”Anything can happen in a cup final.”

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