Harrogate Town's Jack Muldoon and James Belshaw fully deserving of their moment in the limelight during FA Cup triumph

One man capped his 302nd appearance for the club with his 80th goal to decide the contest, while the other kept the Sulphurites in it with a couple of crucial saves, earning himself the man-of-the-match award from television broadcaster ITV.

The ‘magic of the cup’, which undoubtedly still makes this famous old competition what it is, was very much in evidence in the way that ‘little old’ Harrogate upset a team currently flying high at the top of the division above them and who are bankrolled by a couple of Hollywood celebrities.

But on this occasion, it was neither Ryan Reynolds nor Rob McElhenney who played the starring role, as the underdogs tore up the script. And there is as much magic and romance to be found in the fact that two fine servants of the North Yorkshire club, two players who made it into the Football League the hard way, had their big moments broadcast live across the nation.

The term legend is thrown around too often in football, but Muldoon and Belshaw - along with Josh Falkingham and Warren Burrell, who remained unused substitutes, and the currently-crocked George Thomson - are worthy of such a tag having done so much over the years to help Town escape non-league and then survive in League Two for four seasons.

Muldoon, 35, is into his seventh season as a Harrogate player. A type-one diabetic, he worked as a plasterer following his release by boyhood club Scunthorpe United before clawing his way back up the English footballing pyramid via spells with the likes of Stocksbridge Park Steels, Sheffield FC, Brigg Town and Worksop.

The hardest-worker on any pitch he sets foot on, he has scored and created plenty of important goals during his time at Wetherby Road but is without one in the league so far this term.

On Sunday, the former Lincoln City forward he got his reward for another typically selfless display that saw him run himself into the ground with a glorious moment in the limelight.

"Of all the goals I have scored, when you think about the occasion, the opposition, the television cameras and the fact that it was in front of one of our highest home crowds, it has to be one of my biggest,” Muldoon told the Harrogate Advertiser.

“With it being on ITV you think that a lot of people who like football are going to be watching, so it did feel like a special moment in a big game. It was good, I was pretty chuffed.

"Normally, when I score, I tend to stand still and just stare at the crowd, but I thought I had better celebrate this one properly and I did enjoy the moment.”

Belshaw, 31, has been at Town even longer than Muldoon having signed for the club in 2017 during their National League North days.

Thus, he has two Harrogate promotions on his CV, though hasn't racked up quite as many games for the club having spent a couple of years with Bristol Rovers prior to returning to North Yorkshire last year.

A veteran of 212 matches in Town colours, he appears to be ageing like a fine wine, and if any Sulphurites player deserved a bit of recognition on the big stage based on their contribution this term, then it was him.

Belshaw has been superb between the sticks all season, particularly of late when Town have really found themselves under the cosh.

One stunning reflex stop against Port Vale last month will live long in the memory of everyone who witnessed it. Winning that man-of-the-match award live on national television is something the player himself will never forget.

As pleased as Muldoon and Belshaw will surely be with their own contributions to Sunday's success, one man was even prouder.

"There’s a lot of emotion here with that core group that have been with me and Paul Thirlwell for several years," Town manager Simon Weaver said. "This is another high. It is right up there.

"You keep seeing Jack Muldoon graft, graft, graft every single day and so, for him to have moments like that, it's so rewarding for him and means so much for me as well, seeing him grab the limelight.

"It was an immense effort from Jack. I think that he personified what the team were about with the work ethic on show on Sunday.

"It’s the first time that I have ever seen Jack Muldoon cramp up, he is always in the top three of the running charts, so credit to him. He must have pushed his body so much."

Reflecting on his man-of-the-match display, modest Town captain Belshaw shifted the focus away from himself and instead opted to praise his team-mates. And single out Muldoon.

"From one to 11, the lads in front of me, credit to them. They really stuck to the task, defended balls into the box well and nullified Wrexham's threats, while looking to use our own weapons and hit them on the break.

"We set out to frustrate them, we wanted to remain solid defensively, and we got a really well-worked goal from a set-piece then saw the game out.

"Credit to everyone. It was a fantastic performance and a fantastic day for the club. "

On his old mate, and Town's match-winner, Belshaw added: "Mullers is a legend at the club, he works so hard day in, day out.

"It was a really good goal. We worked on those set-pieces in the week, patterns of play and trying to get a man free because we knew that we were going to limited in terms of chances, so if we got a set-piece, it was about making the most of it - and we did that.

"It's a fantastic ball in from Dukey and a great header from Mullers, and he deserved that."