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Plymouth Argyle
League Two Playoffs | Semi-Finals
May 9, 2015 at 7.45pm UK
 
Wycombe Wanderers

2-3

Ansah (86'), Banton (89')
FT(HT: 0-2)
Hayes (10'), Holloway (22'), Craig (52')

Live Commentary: Plymouth Argyle 2-3 Wycombe Wanderers - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates of a thrilling League Two playoff semi-final clash between Plymouth Argyle and Wycombe Wanderers at Home Park.
2

Plymouth Argyle and Wycombe Wanderers faced off at Home Park in the first leg of their League Two playoff semi-final clash this evening.

Gareth Ainsworth's men powered into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Paul Hayes and Aaron Holloway, and Steven Craig put the visitors in command of the tie with a third strike early in the second half.

However, the Pilgrims rallied late in the game and got themselves back into the tie as Zak Ansah and Jason Banton found the net to give John Sheridan's side hope going into the second leg at Adams Park.

Read how all of the drama from the first leg unfolded with Sports Mole's live commentary below.


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Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the League Two playoff semi-final clash between Plymouth Argyle and Wycombe Wanderers.

We're poised for an entertaining match this evening as both teams will be looking to get their tie off to a good start with a place at Wembley within reach.

Plymouth have shown steady improvement under the tenure of John Sheridan since his arrival at the club in 2013. The Pilgrims finished 10th in the last campaign and have performed well again this season to earn a chance to get back into League One for the first time since 2011.

Sheridan's men just sneaked into the playoff as they finished in seventh place after recording back-to-back wins in the final two matches of the regular campaign over Tranmere Rovers and Shrewsbury Town. The Pligrims come into the playoffs in decent form although they have lost twice in their last six matches to clubs in the bottom half of the table Carlisle and Portsmouth.

Wycombe missed out on automatic promotion by a point as they ended their season in fourth place just behind Bury. Gareth Ainsworth's men will look back at their home defeat to Morecambe with huge regret as well as back-to-back losses against table toppers Burton Albion and Oxford United as the reason for their failure. However, Wanderers will still be optmistic over their promotion chances.

Wanderers will be looking for a return to the third tier of English football for the first time since the 2011-12 when they were relegated from the division. Wycombe have been a yoyo team between League One and League Two in the past six years, but they have looked a steady outfit under the tenure of Ainsworth and could finally secure a springboard to greater success.

The team news has been announced and we'll start with the home side.

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE STARTING XI: McCormick, Mellor, Nelson, Alessandra, R Reid, Holmes-Dennis, McHugh, B Reid, O'Connor, Jones, Hartley
Subs: Bittner, Purrington, Banlon, Blizzard, Harvey, Ansah, Brunt

WYCOMBE STARTING XI: Lynch, Bean, Jacobson, Mawson, Pierre, Saunders, Yennaris, Wood, Craig, Holloway, Hayes
Subs: Horlock, Fletcher, Bloomfield, Murphy, Ephraim, Kretzschmar, Onyedinma

Sheridan has made three changes to his side from their victory over Shrewsbury on the final day of the season. Lewis Alessandra, Reuben Reid and Gethin Jones all come into the side for Zak Ansah, Dominic Blizzard and Ryan Brunt.

Ainsworth has made three changes to his team as keeper Matt Ingram is out with injury and is replaced in the side by Alex Lynch. Joe Jacobson and Sam Saunders also come into the starting lineup from the win over Northampton Town last time out in place of Hogan Ephraim and Peter Murphy.

The Wanderers boss has claimed that his side will be underdogs in the match even though they finished with 13 more points than the Pilgrims.

He told reporters: "You've got to put the league to bed. This is a totally different competition, there's no points involved and we've got to beat Plymouth over two legs.

"This will be very tough for Wycombe Wanderers, a club of our size coming up against one of the best-supported clubs in the division. We'll be the underdogs but we'll give it a right good go."


Sheridan believes that his side have the quality to earn promotion from the division despite their inferior record to their opponents in the playoffs.

He told the Plymouth Herald: "We know how important the game is tonight, but it's over two legs. I have told the players 'the game won't be won on Saturday, but you can gain an advantage'.

"Usually play-off games are tight affairs but we are at home and the atmosphere is going to be electric. I'm looking forward to it and the players are looking forward to it. They have been relaxed all week.

"Now there is the chance of getting out of the division. The most important thing is we all unite together, push forward and get the result we want. At the end of the day, the result I want is getting out of the division. That's what I'm looking at."


The sides even secured a victory in their meetings this season, but both were to the away side. Plymouth recorded a 2-0 victory at Adams Park through goals from Lewis Alessandra and Peter Hartley, while Wanderers won 1-0 at Home Park back in September from a strike from Paul Hayes.

Hayes has been the main man for Wycombe this season as he has netted 13 times for the club in all competitions, while Reuben Reid has led the way for the Pilgrims with 18 strikes in the league and two in the cup.

The records of both teams is very interesting heading into the match as Plymouth have the fourth best record at home this season, while Wycombe boast the best record on the road. Wanderers have lost just two games on their travels in 23 games, claiming 13 victories in the process. Sheridan's men meanwhile have lost four games at home, winning 13 at Home Park.

The players are making their way out onto the pitch so we should be underway shortly.

A big moment for Wycombe keeper Alex Lynch as he makes his first start of the season by replacing Ingram. You could forgive him for being slightly nervous.

KICKOFF! We're underway at Home Park.

Good start to the game by the home side as Bobby Reid runs down the left flank and wins a corner. Plymouth pile bodies into the box to put the young keeper under pressure, but neither Nelson or Hartley can guide a header on target.

Another threatening run from Bobby Reid this time down the right and his cross tries to find the run of Alessandra in the middle, but Mawson gets up to head the ball away from danger and he then clears with a big boot downfield.

A tester for Lynch as Jones gets in down the right for the home side and he fires the ball towards the near post, but the keeper gets down well to hold the ball. That'll make him feel a lot better.

The Pilgrims are doing all the pressing in the early moments of this game and another cross comes into the box from the right into the path of Alessandra. The forward tries to direct a header towards goal, but he is off balance and can only out his effort over the bar.

Plymouth cut the visitors open on a counterattack and the ball comes to Alessandra who tries to release Bobby Reid free down the middle, but his pass is well intercepted by Pierre. A vital intervention from the centre-back.

The visitors spring forward and Holloway nearly finds the run of Yennaris through the middle, but McHugh makes a good sliding tackle to force the ball behind for a corner before the midfielder can get an effort away.

GOAL! Plymouth 0-1 Wycombe (Hayes)

Wycombe take the lead from the corner as the ball is knocked into the path of Hayes on the line by Mawson and the striker turns to flick the ball into the back of the net. A huge goal for the visitors.

CHANCE! Plymouth have the chance to hit back immediately as they win a corner down the right and the ball is flicked on by Nelson to the back post for O'Connor, but the midfielder rushes his shot at the back post to put the ball wide of the target.

Plymouth continue to threaten in the wide areas as a cross comes in from the left from Bobby Reid. It travels right through the area and Mellor tries to latch onto the ball at the back post, but it runs away just before the defender can slide in to knock the ball goalwards.

The Pilgrims cause problems down the left as Bobby Reid releases the run of Holmes-Dennis who lifts the ball into the six-yard box, although his delivery is just too high for the head of Reuben Reid. Mellor picks the ball on the flank and drives towards the box and shoots, but his effort is blocked. The visitors have been solid at the back so far.

GOAL! Plymouth 0-2 Wycombe (Holloway)

Wycombe double their lead and it comes in controversial fashion at Home Park. A free kick is launched deep into the Plymouth box and Craig knocks the ball into the path of Holloway, who fires a crisp volley into the bottom corner. However, Craig appeared to have controlled the ball with his hand and the Plymouth players are furious with the referee. The Pilgrims stopped because of the handball, but Holloway didn't and he found the net with a terrific strike.

YELLOW CARD! Hartley goes into the book for his over the top appeal to the referee.

Plymouth raid upfield once more and another ball is launched into the box from the left flank by Holmes-Dennis, but Mawson and Pierre manage to get the ball clear between them.

OFF THE BAR! Reuben Reid earns the home side a corner down the right with a driving run and the cross comes into the box looking for McHugh. Pierre goes up with the Plymouth player and appears to head the ball towards his own goal and the ball cannons off the crossbar. However, the referee blows his whistle for handball from McHugh, which is the correct decision.

YELLOW CARD! McHugh goes into the book for his deliberate handball from the corner.

Mellor gets the chance to raid into the box for the home side down the right. He has space and time, but he dallies on the ball as he can't decide whether to shoot or cross and Wood comes in with a tackle from behind to win the ball. An excellent tackle from the midfielder.

It's not breaking for Plymouth in the final third at the moment as Alessandra tries to thread Reuben Reid beyond the Wycombe defence, but the striker moves too soon as Pierre drags himself in line with his teammates to catch him offside.

A welcome to the playoffs moment for Lynch as he races out to beat Alessandra to the ball from a pass from Reuben Reid, and he beats the forward to gather the ball. However, Alessandra goes right through him and is lucky to escape a booking as not even a foul is given.

Plymouth work the ball into a decent area down the left but fail to threaten the goal as Holmes-Dennis loses the ball just when he was about to fire it across the face of goal. They've had plenty of possession, but havve done nothing with it so far this afternoon.

Clash of heads between the scorer of the first goal Hayers and Nelson as they duel in an aerial battle. The striker requires treament off the pitch which causes a slight delay in proceedings.

Holmes-Dennis has success down the left to create an opening for a cross, but once again the final ball is poor and Mawson is able to clear his lines at the near post.

Finally the ball is whipped into a dangerous area of the box by the home side and Lynch gets an unconvincing punch on the ball to get it as far as the six-yard box. McHugh's low strike is blocked on the line and the ball rebounds back into the middle as far as Alessandra who only sees his effort smash into a wall of blue and black as the visitors scramble the ball clear.

There will be three minutes of added time.

YELLOW CARD! Saunders goes into the book for refusing to walk away from a free kick as Bobby Reid tried to take it quickly.

CHANCE! O'Connor misses another good opportunity as Reid lifts a corner towards the back post and the midfielder comes in unmarked, but he miscues his strike wide of the post. A wasted chance for the Pilgrims.

HALF-TIME: Plymouth 0-2 Wycombe

Wycombe take a 2-0 lead into the break at Home Park due to their clinical edge in front of goal. Paul Hayes fired his side in front after 10 minutes as he guided Alfie Mawson's headed into the net from close range, while their second goal was fortuitious as Aaron Holloway was teed up by the hand of Steve Craig, which went unseen by referee Peter Bankes.

Plymouth have dominated possession in the first half, but were not able to carve out any clear cut opportunities due to their poor quality of their final ball. Sheridan will be disappointed that his team have not tested rookie keeper Alex Lynch at all in the first period and will likely change in the opening stages of the second period.


SUBSTITUTION: Hayes is forced off with his head injury at the break and is replace by Bloomfield.

RESTART! We're back underway at Home Park.

An early test for McCormick as Jacobson lofts the ball into the box for the run of Bloomfield and the striker collides with the keeper as he comes to collect the ball. The whistle is blown for offside anyway, but the keeper did take a nasty knock.

GOAL! Plymouth 0-3 Wycombe (Craig)

Disaster for Plymouth as they concede a third goal which could effectively end the tie. Wycombe win a free kick and all the green and white shirts switch off and Saunders takes the set piece quickly to slide a pass to Craig. The forward maintains his composure to blast an effort past McCormick into the bottom corner.

Reuben Reid has a shot in anger from the edge of the box as he takes the ball in stride, but his powerful strike sails comfortably over the bar. Plymouth need a spark from somewhere.

Tensions boil over as both sets of players get involved in a melee in the middle. O'Connor appears to be the guilty part from the Plymouth side following a tussle with Saunders and Bloomfield.

YELLOW CARD! Somehow O'Connor remains on the field as he smashes into Bloomfield with his elbow and then as Saunders reacts the two get into a tussle. The referee only books the midfielder, but surely is had seen the intent with his elbow the colour of the card would have been red.

Wycombe continue to apply pressure as Jacobson arcs a ball towards the back post for the run of Wood, but Holmes-Dennis does well to keep the winger at bay to head behind to concede a corner.

CHANCE! Jacobson whips the corner in from the right and the sails right across the face of goal and needs only a touch to find the back of the net, but no-one can get on the end of the cross as it goes behind for a goal kick.

CHANCE! Holloway picks up the ball just outside the box and drives a powerful strike just over the bar. The refree points for a corner so the ball must have taken a deflection off a Plymouth player on its way to goal.

SUBSTITUTION: Reuben Reid makes way for the home side and is replaced by Ryan Brunt.

Bloomfield collects a layoff from Wood and drives towards the box. Hartley tries to cut him off but the forward still manages to get a strike away, although his effort curls away from goal and past the post.

SUBSTITUTION: The scorer of Wycombe's third goal Craig makes way for Onyedinma for the final 20 minutes of the game.

YELLOW CARD! Alessandra is yellow-carded for a late challenge on Jacobson.

CHANCE! The free kick comes into the box and Onyedinma does well to bring the ball under control to tee up Holloway outside the area. The forward is in a similar place to his strike in the first half, but he cannot replicate the volley as he guides his effort well wide of the target.

CHANCE! Holmes-Dennis wins a free kick for the home side and Bobby Reid lifts the ball deep into the box with an arcing delivery. Nelson tries to get on the end of the ball, but he cannot get enough lift off the ground to reach it as the ball goes agonisingly wide of the post.

SUBSTITUTION: Murphy replaces Holloway for the visitors.

STAT ATTACK! A telling stat for the evening. Plymouth have had 15 attempts at goal and not one of them has been on target. Compare that to Wycombe who has put four of their 10 effort on the frame, three of which have found the back of the net.

CHANCE! The Pilgrims win a free kick down the right and Bobby Reid delivers a dangerous ball to the back post which isn't claimed by Lynch. However, Brunt can only direct his header wide of the post as he latched onto the cross. It just isn't Plymouth's night!

Plymouth are attempting everthing to get a goal back in the game, but the visitors have been solid as a rock at the back with Mawson and Pierre being especially outstanding in the middle of the defence.

GOAL! Plymouth 1-3 Wycombe (Ansah)

A goal out of nothing for the home side and it could give them hope in the tie as Zak Ansah picks up the ball and unleashes a powerful strike into the top corner from 20 yards. The Wycombe defence had been so good up to that point, but they backed off the midfielder and he delivered what could be crucial strike for Sheridan's men.

GOAL! Plymouth 2-3 Wycombe (Banton)

Plymouth change the the course of the tie within minutes as Banton gets a second goal for the Pilgrims and Mawson who has been so good for the visitors tonight will be disappointed with his role in conceding the strike. Banton picked up the ball on the left and under no pressure he curled the ball into the box, Mawson had the chance to clear it, but opted to leave the ball and it curled beyond the reach of Lynch into the bottom corner. A huge moment in the tie and Plymouth are not don't look done yet.

There will be six minutes of added time.

Slight delay in the match as Yennaris goes down clutching his calf after a challenge in the centre circle.

Onyedinma tries to kill the clock by taking the ball into the corner, but he gives away a free kick. Plymouth may have one more chance to get a leveller tonight.

Banton lets the visitors ease the pressure as he clatters into Bean on the byline to give Wanderers a free kick to clear their lines.

FULL-TIME: Plymouth Argyle 2-3 Wycombe Wanderers

What a game! Everything is still all to play for going into the second leg at Adams Park next week as Plymouth staged a late revival to score two late goals to keep their promotion hopes alive. It didn't look that way after 51 minutes as Wycombe cruised into a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Paul Hayes, Aaron Holloway and Steven Craig, but Gareth Ainsworth's men couldn't keep the Pilgrims at bay to give themselves a lot of work to do in the second leg to book their place at Wembley.

Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Be sure to stick with Sports Mole for all the reaction from today's games. But from me, it's farewell for now.

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Plymouth Argyle manager John Sheridan gives instructions during the Sky Bet League Two match between Plymouth Argyle and Northampton Town at Home Park on November 2, 2013
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