Wycombe secure another away winWycombe bolstered their reputation as English football's away-day kings with a 3-2 victory in the first leg of their League Two play-off semi-final at Home Park.But it should have been far better for Wycombe as Plymouth scored twice inside the last four minutes to keep alive their hopes of a Wembley final appearance.Gareth Ainsworth's Chairboys won 13 times on the road in the regular league season and picked up more points than any of the other 91 sides in the top four divisions away from home.One of those wins came at Plymouth in September and Paul Hayes, scorer in a 1-0 success that night, put Wycombe on the way to victory again with his 14th goal of the season after 10 minutes.Aaron Holloway grabbed a controversial second after 22 minutes with Steven Craig adding another seven minutes after the restart and Thursday night's second leg at Adams Park looked little more than a formality.But Plymouth scored twice in a dramatic finale as substitutes Zak Ansah and Jason Banton left Wycombe with work still to do if they are to meet Southend or Stevenage at Wembley.Plymouth ended the League Two campaign 13 points adrift of fourth-placed Wycombe in seventh but they had won 2-0 in Buckinghamshire in February and were encouraged by the biggest crowd at Home Park - 14,175 - since their relegation from the Championship five years ago.And Plymouth were quick to pile the crosses in on young Welsh goalkeeper Alex Lynch who had been called up for his first senior start after a knee injury prevented Matt Ingram from making his 112th consecutive appearance in the Wycombe goal.Pilgrims skipper Curtis Nelson headed wide in the second minute before Lewis Alessandra failed to keep Kelvin Mellor's cross down as John Sheridan's side made in-roads down both flanks.But the mood inside Home Park changed in the 10th minute when Alfie Mawson met Joe Jacobson's corner, Luke McCormick blocking the point-blank effort only to see Hayes bundle home the rebound from close range.It was yet another sweet return to Devon for Hayes who had spent seven games on loan as a Pilgrims player in 2013.Plymouth's response was instant as Nelson flicked on a corner for Anthony O'Connor to scoop over but Wycombe doubled their lead after 22 minutes.The Pilgrims almost stopped to a man when Craig appeared to control a free-kick with his arm but referee Peter Bankes allowed the game to continue and Holloway delivered a wonderful low strike beyond McCormick.Plymouth struck the woodwork after 29 minutes when Carl McHugh rose highest at a corner but the referee had spotted that he had used his arm to send the ball onto the bar and the midfielder was promptly booked.There was no lack of energy in Plymouth's attacks but they lacked the invention to open up a sturdy Wycombe defence which was doing a manful job of protecting Lynch.Bobby Reid did find a yard of space five minutes before the break to send the ball goalwards but not for the first time a Wycombe defender was in the right place to block.Injury forced off Hayes at half-time but it failed to knock Wycombe out of their stride and Craig profited after 52 minutes when Sam Saunders slipped him through on the right side of the penalty area.Craig's goal served to deflate the Pilgrims who were suddenly second-best all over the field and were unable to make the sort of headway they had done in the first half.Jacobson's set-pieces had provoked Plymouth panic all night and the left-back almost scored direct from a corner when his in-swinging delivery evaded everyone.Substitute Matt Bloomfield might have added a fourth for Wycombe and Plymouth appeared a spent force, but Ansah gave them hope with a wonderful 25-yard strike before Banton curled home a second past the flat-footed Lynch in the final momentsSource : PA
Source: PA