CUP finals by their nature create delight and despair in equal measure - and no-one in the Oxford United side knows that better than Trevor Hebberd.

Forbidden to even set foot on the Wembley turf after being left out of the Southampton squad for the 1979 League Cup final, seven years later he made no mistake when a second opportunity came knocking.

The midfielder scored one goal, made another and was named man-of-the-match.

If Hollywood ever came calling to make a film about Oxford United’s Milk Cup success – a long shot, admittedly – Hebberd’s story of redemption under the Twin Towers would make a compelling narrative.

“You think about it afterwards and I was just lucky enough to get there and play in a different final,” he said.

“When I went there with Southampton the Wembley officials wouldn’t even let me walk on the pitch.

“If I had got to the end of my career and never had another chance to play at Wembley I would have perhaps been even more bitter and disappointed about it.

“Nowadays you play semi-finals at Wembley and there are all these other trophies there.

“When I was playing if you got there it was one of the major highlights of your career.”

Memories of Saints’ 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest were put to bed in style thanks to a superb display.

After a frenetic opening half hour, the first moment of quality in 1986 came from the outside of Hebberd’s right boot.

He threaded a pass to free John Aldridge, who was denied a clear opening by a last-ditch tackle from Steve Wicks.

Within ten minutes United’s top scorer returned the compliment to send Hebberd dashing clear.

The then 27-year-old beat Alan McDonald as he cut in on to his right foot, before taking an age to pull the trigger as manager Maurice Evans’s instructions flashed across his mind.

Hebberd said: “I had a very similar chance against Liverpool in a league game a few weeks before.

“I remember Maurice asking why didn’t I go for goal, because I tried to cross it - perhaps that’s what made me shoot.

“Charlie George told me at Southampton years before that you have more time in the penalty area than you think, because they can’t really tackle you.

“I wasn’t a prolific goalscorer, so to get one on that day was very special.”

Oxford Mail:

  • Trevor Hebberd (centre) with fellow Oxford United goalscorers Ray Houghton (left) and Jeremy Charles

If the opening goal just before half-time put Queens Park Rangers on the back foot, Hebberd played a key role to take the game away from them early in the second half.

It was his run on to Ray Houghton’s pass which opened the Londoners up, before he squared for the Republic of Ireland international double the lead.

It probably sealed the vote for the elegant midfielder to be named man of the match.

Hebberd said: “Ray was a good player and I just made the run.

“He played me in and I gave it back for him to slot it home.

“Everything went well for us on the day, no-one had a bad game.”

  • Pick up a copy of today's Oxford Mail for the full 48-page Milk Cup supplement