THURSDAY NIGHT’S LEAGUE TWO PLAY-OFF SEMI FINAL ROUND-UP
Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 Plymouth Argyle (Wycombe win 5-3 on aggregate)
Wycombe are through to the League Two play-off Final at Wembley Stadium following a 2-1 victory at Adams Park against Plymouth Argyle.
The Chairboys had a slender lead following their 3-2 victory at Home Park in the first leg, and it was the hosts that began the game the brightest.
Paul Hayes, who opened the scoring for Wycombe at Home Park, gave the Chairboys an early lead after Pilgrims keeper Luke McCormick failed to deal with Sam Saunders corner, allowing Hayes strike home.
The hosts then had a number of chances to double the lead on the night, as McCormick stopped Aaron Holloway’s effort, before Nico Yennaris headed wide.
McCormick then stopped Saunders from scoring, but was unable to do anything about Alfie Mawson’s header. Joe Jacobson’s corner was tantalising and Mawson beat McCormick to the ball to double the Chairboys advantage.
Plymouth went into the break three goals down on aggregate, and manager John Sheridan made three changes as Jason Banton, Zak Ansah and Ryan Brunt all came on.
Banton, who scored the Pilgrims second goal at Home Park came close as his cross come shot looped over Alex Lynch only to be denied by the bar.
Bobby Reid then saw his effort brilliantly saved by 20 year old keeper Lynch, but was unable to deny Brunt from scoring as he collected onto a pull back from Ansah to backheel into the goal.
Ansah then had the opportunity to score himself, but Lynch was in fine form and managed to deny the Charlton loanee.
Wycombe held on to reach the play-off final, a fantastic turnaround from Gareth Ainsworth’s side who only avoided relegation from League Two on the final day of last season.
Southend United 3-1 Stevenage (after extra time – Southend win 4-2 on aggregate)
Wycombe will face Southend in the League Two play-off Final following the Shrimpers win after extra time against Stevenage.
In a nervy first half with little chances, Southend winger David Worrall brought the best out of Boro keeper Chris Day before Barry Corr chipped wide.
Ben Kennedy had the Boro’s best opportunity, but his effort went wide of Daniel Bentley’s post.
But it was the visitors that came out the second half looking more determined as Tom Pett found the opener. Dean Parrett, who opened the scoring in the first leg, latched on to Simon Walton’s corner on the edge of the box and had an effort on goal, but his strike was deflected and bounced to Pett who finished from six yards out.
Southend, who were now behind on aggregate, pushed for an equaliser, but Day was putting in a man of the match performance denying Cian Bolger and Joe Pigott respectively.
But then the Shrimpers leveled the tie as substitute McLaughlin’s cross found Ryan Leonard who smashed his effort past Day.
Then in the final minute, Southend were awarded a penalty as Parrett fouled Leonard in the box. Top scorer Barry Corr stepped up, but chipped his effort over the bar, sending the game to extra time.
Southend were nervy now having lost in two semi-finals in four seasons, but they created the better chances in the early stages of extra-time.
Corr, looking to make amends for his penalty miss, headed wide before he saw another effort brilliantly saved by Day.
But the Boro couldn’t hang on as McLaughlin met John White’s measured cross to give the Shrimpers the lead in the tie for the first time.
Then with time running out midfielder Michael Timlin, who was subbed off in the first leg following a clash of heads – requiring fifteen stitches, added a third.
So the final takes place at Wembley Stadium on May 23 between Wycombe and Southend.
