With their thrilling FA Cup run at its heartbreaking finish Kidderminster Harriers turned minds to souvenirs and celebrations, and satisfaction eclipsed disappointment.
On the again row of the principle stand, supervisor Russell Penn grinned as he pulled a tightly-rolled West Ham shirt from a jacket pocket and filed away the reminiscence of his duel with David Moyes and their transient chat over a beer in his workplace.
Alex Penny, Harriers scorer and so very almost the match-winner, tried to fathom how Jarrod Bowen, a former team-mate after they have been beginning out at Hull Metropolis, had gained the sport in stoppage time on the finish of additional time.
Whereas, down within the dressing rooms, there was a frenzy of blouse swapping and Declan Rice, having rescued West Ham with an equaliser within the 91st minute, took the post-match mingle to a brand new extremes.
'Declan Rice has showered with our lads,' mentioned Penn. 'Their showers are really small, so they've combined in with ours. It's issues like this that can stay of their recollections. I've acquired a few shirts, their package man has been glorious.
'They're a very good group. We want all of them the most effective within the Premier League, Europe and the FA Cup.'
Matt Preston, on mortgage at Harriers from Solihull Moors and voted man of the match, had his arms on Aaron Cresswell's shirt though the towering centre half wasn't positive he might ever pull it on.
'I was like, ''This is a baby shirt'',' Preston grinned, and he recalled Andriy Yarmolenko winching him up off the turf on the finish of additional time. 'He said, ''Don't be down on yourselves, you've finished unbelievably''. They have been all very respectful, weren't massive-time in any respect, which you generally get.'
How might they be? West Ham, fifth within the Premier League, had been inside seconds of the best humbling in FA Cup historical past.
'That close,' mentioned Penn, measuring the space with a finger and thumb. 'The noise with five minutes to go when we were 1-0 up and they were trying to egg us on, that's the place I believed ''wow'' and needed to take inventory somewhat bit.
'A great day. Obviously, disappointing at the end, but I'll be over the moon within the morning.'
Rice's introduction at half-time modified the tie. 'They played 10 yards further up the pitch,' mentioned Penn.
Alex Kral and Issa Diop have been hooked after 45 minutes they usually weren't the one ones struggling to manage in uncommon environment.
The Premier League, with its pristine surfaces and complex soccer, is probably additional than ever by way of tradition from the Nationwide League North, tier six. 'Sometimes it's only a shock to the system,' mentioned Rice.
On a blustery day, at a modest venue uncovered to the weather, West Ham needed to rely upon character in addition to technical high quality.
'There's grass on the pitch however a few of the one-touch passing they often do, possibly they couldn't,' mentioned Preston. 'You could tell during the game they were getting frustrated.'
These two hours of drama at Aggborough Stadium, on Saturday afternoon, have been a fully fantastic reminder of the FA Cup's distinctive and enduring attraction, and its potential to elevate the soul even in defeat.
'Party,' mentioned Penn, when requested what subsequent. 'We all have family and friends here in the boxes and fan zone outside. We've acquired a free week for restoration so we will benefit from the night time, they deserve it.'
West Ham filed out and left them to it, and, hopefully, Led Zeppelin entrance man and Harriers fan Robert Plant had left the scene as rock classics have been murdered on karaoke machines within the beer tents behind the principle stand.
Moyes and West Ham return to the Premier League in opposition to Watford on the London Stadium on Tuesday with Michail Antonio, who educated on Saturday, obtainable once more after returning late from worldwide obligation with Jamaica.
'When we left at 2pm on Friday, Mic hadn't turned up on the coaching floor but so we weren't in a position to make use of him,' mentioned the West Ham boss, hoping that there could be no adverse affect on Antonio's type.
'He's again (now). He acquired in late and educated. He's been away a few instances and I've had considerations about it as a result of it's new to him. It's not one thing he's been doing since he was 21 or 22.
'They are long journeys but I will never stop anybody if they want to play for their chosen country.'
