Ryan Reynolds was given his play-off wish as Notts County followed Wrexham to the Football League in dramatic fashion.
After an to-and-fro 2-2 draw, their penalty shoutout victory over Chesterfield at Wembley, saw the National League runners-up, who'd accrued a sensational 107 points over the course of the regular season, do what Hollywood star Reynolds was wishing for. The Wrexham co-owner, 46, saw his team pip the Magpies to the title after slugging it out for much of the campaign, leaving them in the always unpredictable play-offs.
Just like in their dramatic semi-final victory over Boreham Wood, which took a 120th-minute winner from Jodi Jones to save the day, Notts County got off to a nightmare start. Luke Williams' side struggled to settle themselves in the opening stages and goalkeeper Sam Slocombe, who'd already given away an indirect free-kick inside the opening five minutes, gave away a penalty which was scored by Chesterfield's Andrew Dallas.
Williams and co finished a whopping 23 points ahead of Chesterfield but the play-offs often pay no respect to league standings. Notts County, whose excellent season has sparked debate over whether two teams should earn automatic promotion to League Two, huffed and puffed for an equaliser throughout the next 80 minutes after going behind before John Bostock saw his free-kick squirm under Chesterfield 'keeper Ross Fitzsimons in the dying embers.
That took the game to extra-time, only for Armando Dobra to score a cracking goal three minutes in and win the day for Chesterfield. Soon after, National League top scorer Macaulay Langstaff - who struck a record 42 goals in 45 games - narrowly missed a chance, but it was Ruben Rodrigues who stepped up to equalise via a fortunate deflection.
Williams than made a late change ahead of penalties, subbing off Slocombe and bringing on No.2 goalkeeper Archie Mair for the shootout. When it came down to it, Mair pulled off two heroics saves and allowed Cedwyn Scott to win the day for Notts County, avenging his miss against Wrexham last month.
After Wrexham secured promotion in April, Reynolds made his feelings clear on wanting Notts County to go up. "This entire story, the reason we're sitting on the edge of our seats right now is because Notts County is so damn good as well," the Canadian actor told BT Sport in a classy post-match interview.
"They deserve to go up. It's something Rob and I feel quite strongly about. We are rooting for Notts County. We want to see them go up to League Two and face them next year. They're incredible."
Referencing the recent death of the Magpies' CEO, Reynolds added: "Also what makes it so special is how powerful, how special, how unique Notts County is. They are the real story here. What they've done this season... losing their CEO, Jason Turner. Who I have grown to know and learn he was beloved in Notts but also here. I have such enormous respect for everything they've built and done.
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"It's just insane to me that in this league just one goes up automatically. If it were different - and I think it should be - both of these clubs would be celebrating together right now. Because what they've done is... not only created drama unlike anything you've ever seen in a damn movie, but something that people will talk about for ages.
"The fact that this much attention has come upon the National League in this way I think is incredibly special and immensely worthy of the talents not only of Wrexham but Notts County as well. What they've done is so special - so unique."
