SOLE survivor Rob Nugent headed ten-man FC United into their first cup final in a thrilling Challenge Cup semi-final second leg at Gigg Lane.
The trainee accountant is the only player left from the 11 which began the club's historic first game against Leigh RMI in July 2005, and he ended the club's cup hoodoo - they have lost in three other competitions to last-minute goals.
Manager Karl Marginson paid tribute to Nugent and the rest of his side, who battled back from 3-2 down despite losing defender Alex Mortimer to a red card just before half-time.
"It's fitting that Rob should score the goal," said Marginson, who had a wheel rolled at him by celebrating FC fans - just three days after a wheel came off his delivery van at 60mph on the motorway.
"He has FC in his heart. I knew nothing about him but what struck me straight away was that he knew what the club was about and his commitment ever since has been fantastic."
But it was strike pair Stuart Rudd and Rory Patterson who grabbed most of the glory, after Congleton had taken a second minute lead through Ged Courtney.
Rudd popped up at the far post to convert a Rhodri Giggs cross on 31 minutes and four minutes later ran on to Patterson's flick to rifle in the second. The Rebels seemed to be cruising but on 43 minutes Mortimer saw red for a stupid stamp on Tommy Baker and from the resulting free kick Bears' skipper Andy Alston equalised.
Scott Williams fired the visitors ahead on 49 minutes, but within a minute the irrepressible Patterson made it 3-3.
Nugent's golden moment came on 76 minutes, and FC will now face Curzon Ashton or Flixton. Curzon won the first leg 3-1.
FC UNITED extended their lead at the top of the North West Counties First Division to five points thanks to a 3-1 win over Formby.
Goals from Simon Carden, Jerome Wright and Rhodri Giggs saw the Reds edge a feisty affair at Skelmersdale which saw two players sent-off.
After a bright start, FC finally took the lead when a Stuart Rudd shot found its way in via Carden's backside.
However, the expected goal avalanche didn't materialise and the Squirrels equalised through a Paul Wardley lob.
The second-half erupted when FC's Rory Paterson was sent-off after a high challenge on the Formby keeper, with the hosts' Lee Mullen also seeing red after an ensuing melee.
Soon after, Wright netted to restore the Reds' lead before Giggs sealed victory.
FC UNITED took another step towards the North West Counties League first division championship as they went nap against Abbey Hey.
But the Rebels have yet to shake off the threat of FA Vase semi-finalists Curzon Ashton.
Simon Carden's ninth minute strike was followed by two goals apiece from Stuart Rudd and Josh Howard as the Rebel Reds eased to a 5-1 victory which keeps them three points clear of Salford City, who had Jamie Baguley on target in a 1-0 win over Formby.
Steve Lester netted Abbey Hey's single reply.
But with Salford having four games more to play than Karl Marginson's men, it's fourth-placed Curzon who pose the only serious threat to FC United claiming their second successive title.
Wayne Cahill's hat-trick helped the Nash come from behind to crush rock- bottom Stone 4-1.
That win certainly keeps them in a strong position to pounce should FC United slip up in the run-in to the season.
FC UNITED are still on course to make their first final despite letting a two-goal lead slip against Congleton in the North West Counties League Cup.
The Reds had to settle for a draw in Thursday night's semi-final first leg at Witton's Wincham Park after two mistakes from keeper Sam Ashton.
United started positively, with Stuart Rudd going close inside 10 minutes.
Soon after, Nicky Platt broke through and squared for Rhodri Giggs to smash home at the near post.
Minutes later, Rory Patterson hit the bar with a spectacular effort from 30 yards.
Patterson was starting to control the game and scored the second with a cute lob from a Matty Taylor through ball.
Andy Hurst brought Congleton back into the game just before half-time when he took advantage of a rash rush from Ashton to halve the deficit.
And the home side equalised moments after the break, when Hurst capitalised on another Ashton mistake to score his second.
The second leg will be played on Saturday, March 31.
FC UNITED extended their lead at the top of the league with a scrappy win over Squires GateTaking on a team they'd beaten 8-0 in October, the Rebels could only manage a single goal - a second half Nicky Platt penalty.
It was announced this week that the Rebels' TV show attracts a weekly audience of 48,000, but this match will make uncomfortable viewing for Karl Marginson and his team.
While the breakaway Reds were always in control of the match, they rarely threatened the Squires Gate goal during a disjointed first half.
Manager Marginson appeared visibly riled as he went to the dressing room at half-time and sent out his players five minutes early for the second half.
His team stepped up their play with striker Rory Patterson and winger Rhodri Giggs both going close.
But the Rebels attacking moves were all too often breaking down without creating clear cut chances.
It was Patterson who was fouled in the box for the penalty on 55 minutes and Platt calmly stepped up to send the opposing goalkeeper the wrong way.
Although Squires Gate - 17 in the NWCFL Division One � were the 'home' side, FC United were denied a trip to Blackpool.
Gate, who have an average crowd of 50 and had played in front of 22 spectators on Tuesday night, were told by the police that a match in Blackpool would have to be moved forward to midday and include a police presence costing up to �10,000.
So the match was played instead at the Tameside Stadium in front of 1,650 fans - home to FC United's only genuine rival to the Division One title, Curzon Ashton.
Ironically, the Reds had managed a memorable 3-1 victory when they played Curzon last September, but their second league match at the stadium this season is one they'll want to forget.
RHODRI GIGGS nodded home FC United's 100th league goal of the season as the Rebels crushed Colne.
Giggs, returning from a bout of 'flu, put in a man of the match performance and netted the landmark goal on 34 minutes.
Karl Marginson's team, who lead the NWCFL Div 1, average three and half goals a game and the 2,456 crowd at Gigg Lane revelled in another display full of attacking verve.
The home side started briskly and had two goals disallowed in the first 11 minutes as they created a host of chances.
Rory Patterson, in menacing form at the heart of United's attack, broke the deadlock when he controlled a long pass on his chest in the penalty box, spun round on the spot and hooked the ball home off the far post.
Colne responded well to the set back and equalised three minutes later when Liam Garbutt thumped home a left foot volley from 25 yards.
The visitors should have taken the lead as they benefited from some scrappy defending but FC United recovered their composure and hit back with three goals in five minutes.
A superb cross by Patterson gave Jerome Wright a tap-in at the far post on 31 minutes. Then it was Giggs, making his first start in five games, who scored the club's 100th League goal with his glancing header.
Wright made it 101 with his second of the match, again benefiting from the vision of Patterson who had nodded on a long ball to play him through on goal.
The tempo slowed in the second half but the Rebels' captain David Chadwick was rewarded for a strong performance all over the pitch when he headed home unchallenged at a corner to make it 5-1.
And the exhausted Colne defence had melted away by the time substitute Phil Power took down a long ball on the edge of the six yard box to score FC United's sixth.
Colne pulled one back with a 76th minute penalty by substitute James Blackburn but the game had been long lost.