ADAM Wagstaff may have thumped home a brilliant winning free kick but it was keeper Darren Mitchell who was Valley's real hero.

The shot stopper repelled everything that United threw at him and produced four wonderful second half saves to book Valley a place in the final.

And it was in the final 10 minutes that Mitchell came in to his own with United striker Matt Needham the player thwarted most.

As Valley clung on to their lead, Mitchell dived full length to keep out a thumping effort from Matt Needham then denied the striker from the resulting corner.

Mitchell then pulled off another great save to tip over Needham's towering header and in the last minute parried away Adam Sanderson rising effort.

Valley had taken an early lead when Matt Martindale's hopeful punt upfield caused confusion in the United area and Tom Astin bounced to drill the ball home.

United's keeper Kieron Hargreaves then pulled off a flying one handed save to deny Wagstaff as another Martindale ball split the Oswaldtwistle defence.

United's lively strike force of Mark Turnbull and Needham were beginning to cause problems and three times Needham forced his way through only to fire agonisingly wide of the target.

Valley were inches way from taking a two goal cushion in to the half time break when Wagstaff raced clear and fired in a shot that crashed against the bar.

Instead the teams went in all even after Daniel Pilkington's deep free kick was met by a thumping header from Kurt Smithson.

It was a scrappy opening to the second half but it was United who created the early chances.

Turnbull fired over the bar after more good work from Pilkington and Needham's deft flick from Danny Clarkson's corner just missed the target.

However, Valley regained the lead when Wagstaff's wonderful curling left foot free kick beat Hargreaves from 25 yards.

Valley then had to endure an onslaught from United and againTurnbull showed it wasn't to be his day in front of goal as he rolled the ball across the face of goal when well placed.

And when the striker did find the target, and beat the exceptional Mitchell, Christian Lee was on the line to head clear.

While Valley stood firm it was Mitchell who produced the heroics in the final 10 minutes to win a memorable match.

Rossendale Valley 2 Oswaldtwistle United 1

ROSSENDALE VALLEY: Darren Mitchell, Craig Winters, John Coombes, Martin Avery, Christian Lee, David Whittaker, Daniel Watts, Matt Martindale, Stephen Claxon, Adam Wagstaff and Tom Astin. Subs: Lawrence Hawarden, Peter Kay, Simon Kelly, Barry Robinson and Ashley Sherburn

OSSIE UNITED: Kieron Hargreaves, Lee Biggins, Kurt Smithson, Adam Sanderson, Chris McGrath, Chris Burton, Daniel Pilkington, Danny Clarkson, Mark Turnbull, Matt Needham and Andy Charlesworth. Subs: Sean Hughes, Liam Wright and Kieron Brown