Binfield FC were beaten in a thrilling FA Vase final at Wembley Stadium as a brace from Moles striker Liam Ferdinand was topped by a hat-trick from Warrington Rylands’ Elliott Nevitt.

Rylands took the lead in the 26th minute through Nevitt. Binfield levelled from Ferdinand but Nevitt struck from the penalty spot just a minute later.

Nevitt sealed his treble in the second-half but Binfield fought back as Ferdinand scored from outside the box.

The Moles applied immense pressure but couldn’t find an equaliser as they fell at the final hurdle in a valiant display at Wembley.

The Moles started brightly as Elliot Legg gave the ball away with a loose pass but instantly won back possession and got Binfield on the front foot.

Sean Moore worked the ball out wide to Ollie Harris who looked to find Liam Ferdinand and Moore in the middle but his cross evaded the forwards and went behind for a goal kick.

Rylands came forward with their first attack but Moles’ goalkeeper Chris Grace was alert and quick off his line to collect the long ball.

A long diagonal pass had Binfield on the attack again as Rylands had to head behind for the first corner of the match.

Warrington burst away as they countered from Binfield’s corner, but the Moles stayed organised at the back as David Hancock was well positioned to break up the attack.

Binfield looked more potent in attacking areas in the early stages as Moore showed a quick burst of pace to beat his man before his cross was blocked behind for another corner.

Tenacious work from Ferdinand wide on the right won Binfield another set-piece as he chased down what looked like a lost cause to knock the ball off a defender and behind.

Grace was playing the role of a sweeper keeper as he again rushed off his line to clear the ball away from danger to help his defence out.

Legg stayed switched on defensively as he prevented another promising attack for Rylands as they looked to break into the box, with both sides shutting each other down in the opening 20 minutes of the game.

Rylands had the ball in the net when Stephen Milne broke away from the defence but the linesman raised his flag for offside well before the ball reached the striker.

The game began to open up and it was Rylands who took advantage as they drew first blood and took the lead in the 26th minute.

A cross into the box was met by Coveney who nodded the ball to Elliott Nevitt and the Rylands striker volleyed the ball into the ground and found the bottom corner to open the scoring at Wembley.

Carl Withers and Jamie MCClurg’s side looked to hit back having gone behind and there was a nervy moment for Rylands’ keeper Graeme McCall as he spilled the ball behind for a corner from what looked like a routine catch.

Binfield had more defending to do to prevent Rylands from doubling their lead as Tom Willment stayed strong at the back to beat the striker to the ball and divert the ball away from his goal before Grace came out with a strong punch to clear.

The Moles were enjoying more possession but were struggling to create any clear cut chances despite the tough tackling of Jamie McClurg to break up play and win possession in the middle.

Rylands broke into the box again but Gavin put in a vital block as he put his body in the way of the shot.

The Moles looked to seize the opportunity as they began to find some territory in the Rylands half and they were rewarded when Ferdinand headed in the eqauliser in the 42nd minute.

Binfield skipper Moore delivered a superb cross into the middle as he found Ferdinand unmarked in the six-yard box and the striker guided the ball into the bottom corner to level the game.

But Binfield were level for just a matter of moments as Rylands broke down the other end and were awarded a penalty as Charlie Doyle nicked the ball away from Gavin and was brought down by the defender in the box.

Nevitt stepped up to the spot, and despite Grace guessing the right way, the Rylands striker dispatched the ball neatly into the bottom corner to regain the lead in a frantic end to the half.

Legg picked up a caution early in the second-half as Rylands won a free-kick wide on the right but the organised back-line of Binfield held firm to keep out a threatening set-piece position.

Binfield searched hard for a leveller but were put further behind in the 59th minute when Nevitt sealed his hat-trick as he found some space in the six-yard box from a corner and nodded the ball past Grace from close range.

Withers made his first switch of the game in the 63rd minute as Josh Howell replaced George Short.

Howell made an instant impact as he picked up the ball and delivered a delicious inswinging cross to find Harris at the back post but Rylands keeper McCall made a heroic save to smother the volley from close range.

The thrilling contest took another twist in the 67th minute as Ferdinand fired in his second of the game to get the Moles back within a goal.

Ferdinand was found outside the box, took a glance at goal, and struck a fierce low drive into the bottom corner.

Withers made two more changes as the Moles looked to fight their back as Legg and Harris were replaced by Jack Thomson-Wheeler and Asa Povey.

Binfield continued to apply the pressure on Rylands as Moore provided another inviting cross that just eluded Ferdinand after the defender missed his header.

Grace then made a crucial save at the other end as Kane Drummond was found free at the back post but the Moles keeper flew across to his right to keep his shot out.

The Berkshire side continued to win a succession of corners late in the game as they pushed to take the game to the distance.

But Binfield couldn’t salvage a late equaliser as Warrington won the game and took home the FA Vase as they were crowned 2021 champions of the competition.

Binfield: Grace, Hancock, Legg, Willment, Gavin, McClurg, Moore (c), Short, Harris, Ferdinand, Maloney
Subs: Broome, Howell, Thomson-Wheeler, Helmore, Veal, Johnson, Povey
Managers: Carl Withers and Jamie McClurg

Warrington Rylands: McCall, Gerrard, Tinning, Kenny (c), Smith, Coveney, Doyle, Scarisbrick, Nevitt, Milne, Drummond
Subs: Emery, Denman, Freeman, Lees, Sheen, Shanley, Potter
Managers: David McNabb

Goals: Nevitt 26, 43′ (pen), 59′, Ferdinand 42′, 67′