Southend United booked their place in League One courtesy of victory via penalties over Wycombe Wanderers in the League Two playoff final at Wembley this afternoon.
The first goal did not come until five minutes into extra time, when Wycombe broke the deadlock in fortuitous circumstances as Joe Jacobson's free kick hit the crossbar and bounced in off keeper Daniel Bentley.
Southend got the equaliser in the last minute of added time in extra time, however, as Joe Pigott kept his composure to pick out the bottom corner and force penalties.
Both sides missed one apiece in the shootout as it went into sudden death, where Sam Wood saw his spot kick tipped onto the post to confirm victory for Southend.
Find out how all of the action unfolded courtesy of Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute coverage below.
Good afternoon! The Football League playoff finals get underway today, and first up is the League Two showdown between Southend United and Wycombe Wanderers. There was nothing to separate these two sides in the final league table and, with contrasting styles on show, we should be in for an intriguing contest at Wembley today. A place in League One next season is up for grabs as 10 months of action culminates here today. Let's start with a look at Southend...
Southend will have mixed emotions at having reached Wembley this season. Of course, the opportunity to play at the famous stadium is one that won't come around too often for these players, and their hopes of reaching League One are still very much alive, but they may feel that they should already have their place in the third tier confirmed. Automatic promotion was in their hands going into the final day of the regular season, but a 3-1 loss at the hands of Morecambe saw them surrender the final spot to Bury.
In the end, they could only manage a fifth-placed finish in the final table, but they ended just one point off the top three. There is little doubt that both they and Wycombe deserve their place in the playoff final considering they both finished 12 points clear of sixth, but defeat for the Shrimpers today may be that bit harder to take considering they were so close to having their place in League One wrapped up already.
The defeat to Morecambe was something of a shock too, with Southend in fine form going into that match. It remains their only loss in their last 11 matches, and the Shrimpers had won eight in a row before that anomaly on the final day. What's more, they had gone eight matches in a row without conceding a single goal, but when it really mattered they saw three fly past them and their impressive unbeaten streak come to an end.
Their main strength this season has come defensively, with Phil Brown's side conceding just 38 times in their 46 matches in the regular season. Only two teams - Shrewsbury and Plymouth - had a better defensive record, while that eight-match run of clean sheets proved just how hard they can be to score against. The main problem comes at the other end of the field, where Southend scored just 54 times in the regular season - the lowest total in the top eight and the 10th worst in the division.
They did manage to get four over two legs in the semi-finals, although they needed extra time to get past Stevenage. A 1-1 draw in the first leg was followed up by the same scoreline at Roots Hall, although Corr had a glorious chance to secure a win in regular time. The striker missed a 94th-minute penalty, however, and he would have been as relieved as anyone when his side went on to score twice in extra time to secure a 3-1 win on the day and a 4-2 aggregate victory.
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That means that they have bettered their record from last season, when they were knocked out in the semi-finals of the playoffs by Burton, who went on to lose to Fleetwood at Wembley. Indeed, while they also finished fifth last season, it has been a much better campaign on the whole from Phil Brown's men this time around. They picked up 12 fewer points in 2013-14, and it was not much of a surprise to see them fail to reach League One on that occasion. This time, however, they enter the match as very slight favourites.
One concern for Southend will be that they have not fared at all well in one-off knockout games so far this season. They fell at the first hurdle in all of their three cup competitions, losing in the League Cup to Walsall, the Football League Trophy to Wimbledon on penalties and the FA Cup to Chester. They will be hoping that it is fourth time lucky today.
They come up against a very interesting challenge in the shape of Wycombe, however. League Two is always an unpredictable one, but the Chairboys' rise from last season to this has been remarkable. Wycombe were one match away from dropping out of the Football League last season, only keeping their League Two status courtesy of a 3-0 victory over already-relegated Torquay on the final day. They ultimately stayed up on goal difference having finished level with Bristol Rovers on 50 points, surviving by the skin of their teeth.
Fast forward 12 months and suddenly they are just a game away from reaching League One - a superb turnaround that manager Gareth Ainsworth should take plenty of credit for. It is not like they have snuck their way into the playoffs either; Wycombe were very much in the mix for automatic promotion but, like Southend, blew it towards the end of the season. A draw with Wimbledon and defeat to those promotion-wreckers Morecambe in their final three matches saw them overtaken by Bury, and they went into the final day needing both Bury and Southend to lose to stand any chance of nicking third.
That, of course, didn't happen as Bury clinched third place, but Wycombe's win ensured they at least finished fourth, level on points with Southend. They did it in style too, scoring 67 goals throughout the regular season - a tally only champions Burton can beat. In contrast to Southend, however, they let themselves down defensively at times. Their 45 conceded goals in 46 games is by no means terrible, but only one side in the top eight let in more throughout the campaign.
Despite that comparatively poor defensive record, Wycombe have been a very hard team to beat this season. Indeed, they only lost eight matches throughout the entire campaign - no team lost fewer and only champions Burton can match that figure. Draws did account for a lot of dropped points, but in a one-off match like today's, that may well give Wycombe a slight edge. Having said that, three of those eight defeats came in the last seven games of their regular season, so their form has tailed off a little.
They showed few signs of that in reaching Wembley, however, comfortably sweeping aside Plymouth Argyle over the two legs of the semi-final. Ainsworth's side raced into a 3-0 lead at Home Park before two late goals in reply gave Plymouth hope going into the second leg. Again it was Wycombe who took control in the second leg, however, killing the tie off by moving into a 5-2 aggregate lead before Plymouth got one more consolation back.
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There is certainly a case to be made that Wycombe will adapt to the surroundings of Wembley better than Southend today, and not only due to their more expansive game on the bigger pitch. Wycombe boasted the best away record in League Two over the regular season, being beaten just twice on the road throughout the entire campaign. They were comfortably the best side on their travels, scoring more goals and conceding fewer than any other team in the league. They even picked up 10 more points away from home (47) than they did at Adams Park (37).
If Wycombe are looking for a good omen, Fleetwood were promoted in the playoffs last season having finished fourth in the league, just as the Chairboys did this term. In contrast, no team has reached League One having finished fifth in the fourth tier since Gillingham in 2009, so Southend would have to end a six-year hoodoo to win promotion today.
TEAM NEWS: The teams are in for both sides, and the headline news is that Pigott only makes the bench for Southend having started against Stevenage last time out. That sees McLaughlin come in in Southend's only change from the second-leg victory as Corr once again leads the line and Brown reverts to a 4-3-3 formation. Wycombe, meanwhile, are once again without injured keeper Ingram, so Lynch continues between the sticks. Indeed, it is an unchanged side from Ainsworth, with Amadi-Holloway and Hayes up front. Full teams for both sides coming right up...
SOUTHEND STARTING XI: Bentley; White, Bolger, Barrett, Coker; Worrall, Atkinson, Leonard, Timlin, McLaughlin; Corr
SOUTHEND SUBS: T Smith, Prosser, Weston, Payne, Deegan, Cassidy, Pigott
WYCOMBE STARTING XI: Lynch; Yennaris, Jacobson, Mawson, Pierre; Saunders, Bean, Wood; Ephraim, Holloway, Hayes
WYCOMBE SUBS: Horlock, Bloomfield, Craig, Murphy, McClure, Kretzschmar, Onyedinma
What can we make of those two sides, then? Well, the first thing to note is that Phil Brown has switched back to the 4-3-3 system that has served his side well for the majority of the season, and that could well be to do with the added size of the Wembley pitch. He had opted for a 4-4-2 against Stevenage in the semi-finals, but clearly feels that his old formation is better suited to getting the result on the day against a Wycombe side who are likely to be a little more open themselves.
Corr will be the danger man for Southend this afternoon, despite suffering some mixed fortunes in the semi-finals. He scored in the first leg but missed a late penalty in the second, only to be saved by his teammates. Even so, he has 16 goals for the season from just 33 starts, and will fancy his chances against Wycombe especially. He scored twice in the last meeting between the two sides and has three in his last three against the Chairboys.
In support, Worrall and McLaughlin are expected to provide width, with the latter possession the ability to be a real game-changer today. There were questions whether he would start the match, but in a 4-3-3 formation he was always likely to get the nod. Pigott is the unfortunate player to drop to the bench this afternoon, but he could well still have a big say as a sub.
Leonard and Timlin joined McLaughlin on the scoresheet in the second leg of their semi-final against Stevenage, and they will be looking to provide a goalscoring threat from midfield today. Southend's second-highest scorer this season has to settle for a place on the bench once again, however, with Payne having netted eight goals in 22 starts this season. He, like Pigott, will be desperate to make his mark should he be called upon today.
Should they find a way through Wycombe today then they will have to get past Lynch - in the side due to an injury to first-choice keeper Ingram. Ingram missed both legs of the playoff semi-final due to his knee injury and has not recovered in time to even make the bench for today's game either - a huge blow for both the player and the club. In front of him he has Mawson, however, and the centre-back could once again be a key figure today. He scored in the last meeting between the two sides and the second leg against Plymouth, a match that also saw him deal with Reuben Reid efficiently.
Further forward, Wycombe do have players capable of providing the moment of magic that often proves to be the difference in matches like this. Saunders is perhaps the man most likely to come up with that from midfield, and Southend will look to close him down quickly and limit the space he is afforded this afternoon. Giving him too much room on a pitch like Wembley's could be a recipe for disaster.
Probably the biggest threat to Southend's goal today, though, will come from Hayes. He has netted 15 goals in 44 appearances this season, including two already in the playoffs, and is a man very much in form going into the game. Fellow striker Craig is only deemed fit enough for the bench having been struggling with a hamstring injury, so much of the goalscoring burden will lie on Hayes and Amadi-Holloway here.
PREDICTION: We're 10 minutes away from kickoff at Wembley, which means that it is time for a prediction! This is a very tough one to call and, whatever happens, it should be a really intriguing affair. Hopefully it won't be a cagey game - which can often happen with so much on the line - but it is likely to be a tight one. Indeed, I can see it going all the way to extra time, but Wycombe are a very hard team to beat and they have the goals in their side to make the difference. I'm going for a 2-1 victory for the Chairboys after extra time.
Wycombe are unbeaten against the Shrimpers so far this season, drawing in the last meeting at Roots Hall 2-2. Corr (2), Craig and Mawson were on the scoresheet on that day in March, but the reverse fixture at Adams Park was all about Wycombe. Southend took an early lead, but that was as good as it got for the visitors, with Wycombe going on to win 4-1 in December.
Indeed, Wycombe are unbeaten in their last four against Southend, with their last loss to the Shrimpers coming in February 2013. They will be particularly looking back at a meeting in May 2011 of the recent clashes between the two sides, with a 3-1 victory over Southend clinching a place in League One for Wycombe - the last time they won promotion to the third tier. Will that be a good omen for them today?
Current Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth actually played in that match so has experience of beating Southend to reach League One. He was also involved for Preston in 1994 when Wycombe were last at Wembley, with the Chairboys winning 4-2 to again reach the equivalent of League One. Indeed, Wycombe have won their last three visits to Wembley, all within a four-year spell between 1991-94. They haven't been here for 21 years, however. Southend, by contrast, have been beaten on their previous two trips here, including the Football League Trophy final just two years ago, but did win their only previous appearance in a playoff final, beating Lincoln at the Millennium Stadium in 2005.
The Shrimpers are looking for a return to the third tier of English football for the first time since 2009-10 rodat, and they have experience in the dugout. Phil Brown memorably guided Hull City to the Premier League via the playoffs in 2008, with Dean Windass's strike enough to beat Bristol City on that occasion.
The hands have been shaken, the anthem has been sung, and we're just moments away from kickoff at Wembley now! It is a huge match for both of these sides as the Football League playoff finals weekend gets underway!
KICKOFF: Wycombe get us underway here. What a story it would be if they were to go up this season after their troubles in 2013-14, but Southend are looking to spoil the fairytale.
A concern after just a couple of seconds for Wycombe as Saunders is caught with the first tackle of the game. He looks very uncomfortable at the moment and is struggling to put weight on his left leg. What a terrible start this would be for Ainsworth's side.
WYCOMBE SUB: Heartbreaking for Saunders, who is forced off just a couple of minutes into this final. It was a innocuous challenge, but he can't put any weight on his leg. On comes Matt Bloomfield in his place.
Nervy moment for Southend early on as Ephraim hoists a high ball into the area that drops into a very dangerous place. It is cleared unconvincingly by the defence, but Wycombe are unable to take advantage.
After that early injury setback Wycombe have made quite a quick start to this one. Southend are just beginning to respond, however, and it is shaping up to be an entertaining affair.
Both sides are looking to get the ball forward quickly to their strikers here, mostly via the aerial route. Neither side have been able to build a sustained period of pressure or possession as of yet.
Ephraim has looked dangerous when he has got on the ball for Wycombe so far, swinging a couple of decent cross into the box. Both sides could do with getting a little bit more width into their game at the moment, in truth.
Important piece of defending from Mawson as he gets caught under a long ball forward to Corr, who takes it down well on his chest. Mawson does well to recover, however, and knocks it behind for a corner.
Southend win another corner and this time the ball is swung in right underneath the crossbar. Lynch is fortunate not to have anyone is his way as he claws it away and Southend win a third corner in quick succession.
SAVE! The first save of the day comes from Lynch, but it is a routine one for the Wycombe keeper. It came from the corner and Bolger got his head to it, but it bounced up kindly for Lynch.
The news from the dressing room is that Saunders picked up a calf injury in the opening seconds of the game, which forced him off. Devastating for the midfielder.
CLOSE! Another corner for Southend and again it is Bolger who gets his head to it. This time it is a clearer header for the Southend man as he gets in front of his marker and glances one towards the back post. It goes a yard or so wide, however, and Bolger may feel that he should have done better there.
Corr has started this match in dominant fashion up front for Southend. He has won the vast majority of his headers up against the Wycombe defenders and, although he isn't keen on playing as a lone striker, he is doing a good job of it at the moment.
All of the sights of goal seem to be falling to Bolger at the moment! This time the ball drops to the centre-back just inside the area, and he goes for the spectacular first-time volley. Perhaps predictably, though, he blazes it a long way over the top.
YELLOW CARD! The first card of the afternoon goes to Hayes, who just tripped McLaughlin after he has skipped past Bean. Free kick in a good crossing position for Southend now...
DISALLOWED GOAL! Southend have the ball in the back of the net courtesy of Corr, but the goal is disallowed! The free kick was a good one and Corr got away from his marker with movement alone before planting his header past the keeper. However, the referee had already blown his whistle for a push by Bolger. Very good spot from the official there.
This time Wycombe have the ball in the back of the net, but again the officials correctly rule it out. It was Hayes who got on the end of a diagonal ball into the box, but the linesman's flag was raised as he put it past the keeper.
Southend will be the happier of the two sides after the opening half an hour or so of this game. They have caused Wycombe plenty of problems from set pieces and enjoyed 55% of the possession, while preventing Ainsworth's side from building up any sort of momentum. The likes of Holloway and Hayes just haven't been able to get into the game.
Wycombe win a free kick from deep and Pierre rises highest to flick it goalwards, but it skims a few yards wide. The replays show that the final touch actually came off Barrett, so it should have been a corner, but the officials award a goal kick.
Corr goes down off the ball following a clash with Pierre, but it wasn't anything too bad from the defender, who just leant across the striker's path. Corr went down too easily.
YELLOW CARD! Bolger becomes the second name in the book for a poor challenge, lunging in and completely missing his man. He can have no complaints about that one.
The resulting free kick is floated in towards the back post by Ephraim and again it drops into a dangerous area. This time Southend are confident enough to let it go behind for a goal kick, however.
Wycombe have edged their way back into this match and are slightly on top now without really having troubled Southend's goal so far. The Chairboys have been limited to free kicks from deep, which Southend have dealt with pretty comfortably.
There is a distinct lack of quality in the final third right now and, in truth, neither side looks like breaking through any time soon. Wycombe are seeing more of the ball right now but lack creativity in their attacks.
CHANCE! By the standards of this match, this is a chance. Again it is Ephraim who is the provider for Wycombe, swinging a ball into the box for Hayes. The striker, under heavy pressure, manages to turn a shot away despite the ball being at an awkward height, but it is straight at the keeper.
SHOT! This is more like it from Wycombe! The ball is worked across to Wood, who takes a touch to steady himself before unleashing an effort from 25 yards. He hits it well enough, but it flies a yard or so over the crossbar.
This hasn't been the best half of football you will ever see, it must be said. Both sides have struggled to keep the ball and, while both have had decent spells in the game so far, neither have particularly looked like scoring.
There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this half due to that injury to Saunders in the opening seconds.
HALF TIME: Southend United 0-0 Wycombe Wanderers
Phew, I thought that first half would never end! That was a pretty dire 45 minutes of football, with a lack of discernible quality from either side. Both have had the ball in the back of the net, but they were correctly disallowed, so we remain goalless at the break. This match is calling out for a moment of magic, but there weren't many signs in that first half that either side possess that.
There was a talking point after just two seconds of the match, however, as Saunders was caught by an innocuous-looking challenge straight after kickoff. The midfielder tweaked his calf and was unable to continue, being forced off in the opening minutes. It was devastating for the player and a big blow for Wycombe as well.
The best chances of the half have fallen the way of Southend, all of which have come from set pieces. Bolger has been the main threat in the opposition box, planting one header into the ground that was simple for Lynch to save and having another that he glanced narrowly wide. The latter was the best opening of that first 45 minutes as Bolger earned himself a yard on his marker, only to send his effort off target.
Bolger was again involved when the Shrimpers had the ball in the back of the net, but this time it was a contribution Southend could have done without. A corner was finished off by a firm header from Corr, who had beaten his marker with some good movement. However, the referee was quick to blow his whistle for a push from Bolger off the ball, and the replays showed that it was the right decision from the official.
Wycombe have offered little in terms of clear chances, but Ephraim on the left flank has caused Southend problems with his deliveries into the box. It was from one of those that Wycombe had their best opening as Hayes did well to reach a high ball with his foot under heavy pressure, but he could only direct his shot straight at the keeper. Hayes also had the ball in the back of the net, but the offside was correctly raised.
Set pieces dominated that opening 45 minutes, and it looks more likely than not that it will be a set piece that decides this game. There needs to be an improvement in the final third, but both teams look terrified to lose this game rather than desperate to win.
KICKOFF: Southend get us back underway for the second half at Wembley, with no changes for either side at the break.
Quick start to the half from Wycombe, and again it comes down the left. This time Ephraim poses the direct threat himself, but his shot is deflected wide of the near post.
Southend respond with an attack of their own that is quickly stopped in its tracks. There is a bit more pace and verve about the opening stages of this second half, though, and the crowd is responding by upping the noise levels.
Bright play from Atkinson as he carries the ball forward before slipping a pass to McLaughlin, who feeds a low ball right across the six-yard box. Jacobsen looks to have been caught on his heels, but he reacts just in time to make a crucial intervention.
This is beginning to get a bit more like it! Worrall clatters into one challenge before racing after the ball once again, only to be felled by a full-blooded, but fair, challenge from Bean.
Ephraim again looks to jink inside before finding himself on the end of a crunching challenge from Corr. No card is produced, but punishment could be coming from this free kick in a good position...
It is Jacobsen who goes for goal, but he can't get it back down after beating the wall and it sails comfortably over the crossbar.
Decent spell of possession for Southend, but nothing comes of it. The quality has been a little better so far in the second half, but there still aren't many signs that a goal is on the way.
SOUTHEND SUB: A first change of the day for Southend as Brown brings on a striker in the form of Joe Pigott. Off goes McLaughlin, which could also see Southend switch to a 4-4-2 formation.
Good work from Ephraim as he keeps a deep Hayes cross alive at the back post, nodding it back into the middle and forcing a corner for his side. Can they make anything of this set piece?
Mawson is the man to attack this one, but his marker sticks with him all the way and he can't get a clean head on it, sending it comfortably off target.
CHANCE! The clearest chance of the match falls to Corr as he is left unmarked in the area to get a header away. The cross comes in from the right, but Corr has to generate all of the power himself and in the end it is a relatively comfortable stop for Lynch.
It all opens up for Pigott to have a go from range as he spins away from his marker around 25 yards from goal. It is worth a dig, but Pigott gets right under his effort and sends it well over.
Nasty fall for Jacobsen as he climbs over Pigott for a header and lands right on the back of his neck. He stays down and the referee immediately stops play, but he should be able to continue.
PENALTY SHOUT! Big penalty shout for Southend as a long ball arrives to Pigott at the back post and Jacobsen barges into his man from the wrong side. The referee is perfectly placed to see it, but only points for a corner! Southend can feel really hard done by there!
Barrett gets his head to the resulting delivery but can only plant his header wide of the target. Southend are looking the more likely of the two teams now.
CHANCE! Huge chance for Barrett again! This time Southend play a corner short and Timlin swings a dangerous delivery to the back post, where Barrett has escaped the attentions of Bean. He just needs to nod it on target, but he doesn't get enough on his header and puts it off target.
The pressure is really beginning to increase on the Wycombe defence now. This time it is Corr who nods the ball down inside the box, but it is just in front of Pigott and he can't make anything of it.
Claim for Wycombe at the other end as Ephraim's delivery hits a hand, but the defender was far too close to the winger. That would have been very harsh, particularly as it was even dubious whether it was inside the box or not.
CHANCE! Big chance for Wycombe this time as they begin to get themselves back into the game. Holloway does well to slide a reverse pass into the box for Hayes, who looks to open his body and curl one into the bottom far corner. Bentley reads it, though, and gets down to make the stop.
Southend had had 61% possession in the second half until the last couple of minutes, when Wycombe have begun to turn the game in their favour. It really could go either way at the moment as the match begins to get a little more open. Hopefully the end-to-end nature of the last five minutes or so will lead to a goal!
SHOT! Southend come forward again as Pigott gets a lucky bounce before using it to his advantage. He turns away and has another shooting chance from range, but he puts his strike well off target.
SOUTHEND SUB: Another change from Phil Brown as Myles Weston replaces Atkinson for the final 10 minutes.
Good chance for Wycombe as some slick passing gets them in behind Southend, but Wood completely mis-hits his attempted pass back inside. That pretty much sums up this game so far - there has been such a dearth of quality that neither side really deserves to win.
Weston will look to stretch the defence with his pace in these closing stages, and he does that here to win a free kick in a good crossing position. The delivery is a testing one, but Pierre flicks it behind for a corner.
WYCOMBE SUB: Interesting change from Wycombe as Ephraim, who has been his side's most dangerous player today, is replaced by Steven Craig.
Just three minutes of normal time remain for someone to make themselves a hero here, otherwise we'll have an extra 30.
WHAT A SAVE! Oh my word, what a stop this is from Bentley to keep Southend in this tie! Pierre thumps a header towards goal and, although it is straight down the middle of the goal, it takes a superb stop from Bentley to tip it over the bar. There is the moment of quality we have been after all game, and it could be as valuable as a goal at the other end for Southend.
YELLOW CARD! Mawson is the latest name in the book for an untidy challenge just inside the opposition half to stop a counter in its tracks.
There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match! Can anyone pop up with some late drama to clinch promotion to League One?
There will be a bit more added on to that three minutes due to treatment being given to Bean right now.
Quite how much will be added on is unclear, but I would be surprised if it goes on much longer. We look set for extra time here.
END OF 90 MINUTES: Southend 0-0 Wycombe
The League Two playoff final goes to extra time, then, and the scoreline is an accurate representation of the match itself. It really was a poor game of football which neither side did enough to win inside the 90 minutes, and it would take an improvement to avoid penalties too.
Both teams had chances in the second half, with Bentley making a fine stop to deny Pierre in the dying stages and Barrett planting a header wide at the back post earlier in the half. Southend were also very unfortunate not to get a penalty when Pigott was barged into by Jacobsen inside the box.
The match did become a little more open as the second half wore on, but in general both sides have come into this match with a must-not-lose attitude. That will have to change soon, though!
KICKOFF: Wycombe get us back underway for the first half of extra time and Hayes immediately looks to get on the front foot, but can only fire wide.
CHANCE! Another opening for Hayes in the early stages of extra time as he finds himself between two defenders inside the box. The cross arrives from the right, but Hayes puts his header well over when he should have done better.
The last League Two playoff final to go to extra time was back in 2005, by the way, and the omens are good for Southend. They won that day at the Millennium Stadium, beating Lincoln 2-0 after the extra 30.
GOAL! Southend 0-1 Wycombe (Daniel Bentley og)
Finally a goal and finally a moment of real quality in the final third! Wycombe win a free kick and Jacobson, undeterred by his earlier miss, steps up. He curls it over the wall and brings it back down off the underside of the crossbar. The ball bounces down and hits a diving Bentley before creeping over the line to give first blood to Wycombe.
SOUTHEND SUB: Southend immediately respond with a change as Jack Payne replaces Worrall. Can the new man spark a response for Phil Brown's side?
As much as I don't like to take away a strike like that on such a big stage, I'm afraid that goal will be going down as an own goal from Bentley. The replays show that the ball was actually bouncing down and out before it struck Bentley and went in. So unlucky for the keeper, who made such a good stop in the dying stages of normal time.
Wycombe, as expected, are just looking to take the sting out of the game now, not that there was much there to start with. The onus is very much on Southend to come up with something now otherwise they will crash out of the playoffs for the second season in a row.
Another shooting chance for Wycombe, but the ball is caught up in the feet of Hayes as he looks to hit it. He can't get enough power on his strike as a result, and it is a simple one for Bentley to collect.
There will be two additional minutes at the end of this first period of extra time.
HALF TIME IN EXTRA TIME: Southend United 0-1 Wycombe Wanderers
The first half of extra time comes to an end at Wembley, and Wycombe now find themselves just 15 minutes away from League One having been a game away from the Conference last season. Can Southend save themselves in the coming 15 minutes or will Wycombe hold out for a shock promotion to the third tier?
KICKOFF: Southend get us back underway for a huge 15 minutes as they look to get a goal that would force penalties. They need to come up with something different as, so far, they haven't looked like scoring too often.
Wycombe have been very cautious since taking the lead, refusing to put the ball into the box when they have the chance and preferring to keep it in the corner. It may be a bit early for that, but right now they have the ball at the right end of the field from their point of view.
Southend aren;t happy at what they see as time-wasting tactics by Yennaris, who goes down with apparent cramp. It seems to be a bit more than that, however, and the physio comes on to help him limp off.
WYCOMBE SUB: Indeed, Yennaris is unable to continue and he is replaced by Peter Murphy.
Flash point on the touchline as Ainsworth squares up with the first-team coach of Southend, who is apparently unhappy with how long Yennaris took to leave the field there.
YELLOW CARD! Wood goes into the book for time-wasting, and I suspect that won't be the last yellow card we see for that reason.
YELLOW CARD! Leonard quickly follows him into the book for angrily throwing the ball into the ground when looking to retrieve it for a throw-in.
CHANCE! Huge chance for Wycombe to put this game to bed as Holloway beats three players to race clean through on goal with a man in support. He tries to cut inside, however, and is dispossessed to waste a glorious position. Could that prove to be a costly miss?
Time is ticking away for Southend now. They have not been able to put the Wycombe goal under any sustained pressure in extra time so far, and you have to give Gareth Ainsworth's side credit for that. As things stand, they have done a very good job of seeing this game out.
CHANCE! Late chance for Southend as the ball is crossed in from the left towards Pigott, who finds himself in space. He gets too much on his header, however, and can only plant it off target.
There will be two minutes of added time at the end of extra time. Can Southend add any late drama?
GOAL! Southend 1-1 Wycombe (Joe Pigott)
Incredible! Southend, with just seconds left on the clock, come up with the equaliser to surely force penalties! Weston swings a cross into the box that is knocked down to Pigott, who keeps his composure, takes a touch and drills an effort into the bottom corner! Heartbreak for Wycombe!
END OF EXTRA TIME: Southend United 1-1 Wycombe Wanderers
Proof that even the poorest of games can come up with an incredible ending! We go to penalties in the League Two playoff final courtesy of a goal apiece in extra time, with Southend's strike coming with just seconds left in stoppage time of extra time. What drama here at Wembley!
Wycombe have to pick themselves up after that late blow now. Ainsworth is going around his players and creating his penalty list now, while Phil Brown will be trying to calm his men down and make sure they have cool heads going into this crucial shootout.
It will be Southend to take the first penalty here, at the Wycombe end...
JOE PIGOTT SCORES!
PETER MURPHY SCORES!
BEN COKER MISSES! SAVED BY LYNCH!
ALFIE MAWSON SCORES!
RYAN LEONARD SCORES!
PAUL HAYES SCORES!
JACK PAYNE SCORES!
MATT BLOOMFIELD MISSES! SAVED BY BENTLEY!
MICHAEL TIMLIN SCORES!
MARCUS BEAN SCORES!
We're into sudden death at Wembley!
ADAM BARRETT SCORES!
JOE JACOBSON SCORES!
MYLES WESTON SCORES!
AARON HOLLOWAY SCORES!
JIM BOLGER SCORES!
SAM WOOD MISSES!
FULL TIME: Southend United 1-1 Wycombe Wanderers (Southend win 7-6 on penalties)
SOUTHEND ARE PROMOTED TO LEAGUE ONE!
Devastating for Wycombe as, having led in the 122nd minute of the match, they go down on penalties. Bentley tipped the ball onto the post from Sam Wood's penalty to secure a 7-6 victory in the shootout having equalised with virtually the last kick of extra time. It is jubilation for Phil Brown and his players, but utter heartbreak from Gareth Ainsworth.
It was by no means a classic, but as is so often the case with thew playoffs, there was late drama here. The opening goal didn't come until the fifth minute of extra time, when Jacobson's free kick struck the bar and bounced back onto Bentley before going over the line for a hugely unlucky own goal. Pigott came up with the all-important equaliser with just seconds left of added time in extra time, however, forcing a shootout that Southend eventually won 7-6 courtesy of a Sam Wood miss.
That is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for the first of the Football League playoff finals as Southend book their place in League One with a penalty shootout victory over Wycombe. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction from both camps. We have all of the playoff finals covered so be sure to check back in over the weekend! From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
Written by
Barney Corkhill
Barney Corkhill
