Luther James-Wildin had scored just three goals for Stevenage in five seasons - number four was worth the wait as it sent Boro up to League One.
Jamie Reid, who had put Steve Evans' men ahead 10 minutes earlier, danced across the edge of the box and not seeing any space for a shot of his own, realised he had support.
A back heel found his full-back and from 20 yards, James-Wildin curled it to the left of Max Crocombe in the Grimsby Town goal for 2-0, starting a huge party at the Lamex.
The 25-year-old often gets stick for his shooting prowess but he was taking it in his stride.
"Honestly, it literally feels like I've had one shot [this season] and one goal," he said, beaming from ear to ear.
"You couldn't write it. To do it in this game of all games.
"I know I missed that chance at Hartlepool, which I was kicking myself about, but you know this game and scoring that goal, it’s just an absolutely incredible feeling.
"To be around the boys, to be around the stuff in the changing room and afterwards, to see what it means to everyone, it has made it so much better."
As one of the club's longest serving players, he has seen some dark times but this particular light is something he will cherish for a long time to come.
He said: "Honestly, I literally said to my girlfriend this morning, you could not write this situation.
"I've been through so much with this club, so many ups and downs, and to score that goal, to settle us down in the second half so we could just almost cruise to the end.
"This feeling is, you just can't put it into words.
"I'm just so proud to be involved in this team, with this staff and to be here with the crowd.
"It's unbelievable and you can't argue with promotion.
"People have been saying all year, you know, that we're this, we're that, we're basic.
"But when you do the basics as well as we do, it's difficult to cope with and we’ve proven that all season long.
"I'm so proud of this bunch, I'm proud of everyone. It's a special group I’ll remember forever.
"I've never been promoted before so I'm just excited for what may be. I'm just looking forward to it all, wherever today takes us, wherever the next few weeks takes us.
"I'm so excited about it."
He had praise too for the fans, for making the occasion that extra-special, although it was not a surprise.
"We knew it would be," he said. "I remember looking back to Leyton Orient. That was such a massive game and the crowd turned up in their numbers.
"We knew the atmosphere was going to be the same, if not better, and when we’ve turned up it was exactly that.
"It was absolutely brilliant from minute one until the end.
"We had that chance in the first half and what an unbelievable start that would have been.
"But the way, it’s panned out, you know, I wouldn’t have it any other way."
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