Can you share your initial verdict? 

We deserved to win it. 

We felt that we were the better side throughout, and from the first minute of the game settled into what we had planned. 

If we’d have not won inside 90 minutes, and then fallen short in a penalty shoot-out, then it would have been unjust. 

Did you wonder if a goal might not arrive? 

Yes! Well, at least a little bit! 

We knew that we’d keep creating chances because we’ve done that often this season. 

It was important to trust the players; they were doing the right things and didn’t panic. 

We had some good opportunities, and perhaps made the wrong decision or hurried a shot on goal, but we merited a reward. 

If they had started to do things we weren’t used to, that would have been the moment to make a change. 

It’s fitting that the best player on the field settled the outcome, no? 

Aaron is a good player, and I doubt he’ll be with us next season! 

He had a shot at goal inside the first five minutes that the goalkeeper parried, and it carried on from there between them both. 

I’ve known him since he was 15, and to come and play like that – to provide the quality he did – was fantastic. 

It would have been easy to lose patience. How important was that? 

I hope that the penny has finally dropped!. 

We haven’t got the players to sling long balls into the penalty area and try to score that way because we’ve got a tiny centre forward. 

He’s scored 30-odd goals, but none with his head!  

We must use our strengths.  

People can argue that we can’t play that way at this level, but I disagree and I hope that we’ve proved that. 

Not many teams keep out this City of Liverpool attack 

No, they don’t. 

But look at the numbers; we’ve been improving that part of our game in the past couple of months and it’s gone a bit under the radar. 

It's something we’ve sharpened up.  

We can still be better defensively, but they didn’t get in behind us. 

They had a spell after we scored, but even during that their best chances were at set-pieces and not from open play. 

How big a boost can a victory like this be going forward? 

When you win a competition, then it should be a lift to players’ confidence. 

The feelgood factor of winning a final, and beating a good side to do so, has to have a positive impact. 

We think that we’ve played well since the turn of the year and we’ve something to show for it. 

But that doesn’t mask the fact we’ve had a disappointing league campaign, we know as much. 

The scenes at the end, they were fantastic 

People knock our club, and it baffles me. 

Look at how the lads were received by both sets of fans after the final whistle. 

It shows the club is on the right lines and is making progress. 

It was a lovely moment to hear the supporters singing Paul Stockton’s name, particularly because his wife and one of his lads were here. 

I’m happy the players could share that with them.