author
John LupoLive reporter

Full time!

And the referee blows his whistle to end an extraordinary night of football! It was a frantic start with three goals in seven minutes and Wycombe never looked back.

The Chairboys made full use of their numerical advantage, constantly applying pressure and were rewarded for their enterprising play.

All to do for Fleetwood as they not only need to find four goals and will be without Coyle and Madden for the second leg. For a team as hot as the Cod Army were coming into the play-offs, the apparent end of their season will be bitterly disappointing. 

That's all for now. My name is John Lupo and I hope you enjoyed tonight's coverage as Wycombe are on their way to Wembley. That's all for now. Take care!

3 July 2020 10:01 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Five extra minutes

The fourth official signals five minutes of stoppage time.

3 July 2020 9:57 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Final substitution for Wycombe

90' Gareth Ainsworth makes his fifth and final change as Nick Freeman comes on for David Wheeler.

3 July 2020 9:55 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Game halted

88' A dangerous situation as a smoke bomb has been thrown onto the far side of the pitch.

3 July 2020 9:53 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Another double change for Wycombe

87' Ofoborh and Onyedinma are subbed off for Adebayo Akinfenwa and Curtis Thompson.

3 July 2020 9:52 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Fleetwood down to nine men!

85' Madden is sent off after having words with the referee. He felt aggrieved after being booked for diving against Darius Charles and the argument sees him pick up a second yellow and he will miss the fixture at Adams Park next week.

3 July 2020 9:48 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Fleetwood miss

82' Burns gets a little ambitious. After playing a one-two with Madden, he decides to take a speculative shot that's nowhere close with teammates available to pass to.

3 July 2020 9:48 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Double change for Wycombe

80' The visitors give Matt Bloomfield and Alex Samuel the rest of the night off, replaced by Alex Pattison and Scott Kashket, respectively.

3 July 2020 9:46 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Fleetwood substitution

77' Harvey Saunders comes on for Barrie McKay.

3 July 2020 9:43 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Missed chance for the visitors

74' Wycombe are still attacking and Bloomfield hooks in a cross that Burns hooks away, but it falls to Ofoborh, who miscues his attempt.

3 July 2020 9:41 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Second drinks break

69' A time out for some refreshments as Evans saw a poor delivery by Andrew off of a corner one minute prior.

3 July 2020 9:38 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Fleetwood substitution

65' Knowing he needs goals, Barton brings on Paddy Madden, who scored in both matches against Wycombe this season, for Paul Coutts.

3 July 2020 9:37 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Cairns prevents a fifth

62' It's been a nightmare evening for the Fleetwood keeper, but he makes a really good save after a neat one-two, Onyedinma latching on to a lovely through ball from Samuel that's kept out.

3 July 2020 9:35 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Fleetwood response

60' The hosts nearly get a second as Barrie McKay's free kick is tipped over Allsop.

3 July 2020 9:30 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Wycombe add a fourth!

GOAL! 57' It's gone from bad to worse for Cairns as he leaps for the ball, but completely misses, allowing Alex Samuel to volley home for his first goal in 15 months. 

3 July 2020 9:29 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Chance wasted for the hosts

55' Fleetwood have a good spell of possession with Burns playing a cross down the right, but Evan's doesn't complete his run. Typical of the Cod Army today.

3 July 2020 9:21 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Second half is underway!

We have returned with Wycombe in pole position, up two on the scoreboard and with a man advantage.  Fleetwood manager Joey Barton makes a substitution with Kyle Dempsey replacing Callum Connolly.

3 July 2020 9:19 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

The halftime whistle blows!

What a first half. Four goals, three bookings, two penalties given, an own goal and we still have 45 minutes to play.

 

We're going to take a short break and be back with the second half. 

3 July 2020 8:39 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Wycombe grab a third!

GOAL! 45+3' An absolute peach of a volley by Wheeler off a set piece gives Cairns no chance!

3 July 2020 8:36 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Connolly booked

45+1 Second yellow card of the evening is shown to Callum Connolly after he fouls Onyedinma.

3 July 2020 8:32 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Fleetwood dodge another bullet!

44' Already down a man, the hosts may have gotten away with one as Evans is called for hand ball.

3 July 2020 8:29 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Fleetwood substitution

36' The first change by either side sees Danny Andrew replacing Josh Morris.

3 July 2020 8:25 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Penalty saved!

34' Joe Jacobson takes the spot kick, but his attempt is saved in the bottom right corner by Cairns, who also diverts Wheeler's follow-up over the bar, atoning for his earlier error. 

3 July 2020 8:23 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Fleetwood down to 10 men!

33' A horrible tackle by Lewie Coyle on Jacobson and he is sent off after being shown a straight red card!

3 July 2020 8:21 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

First booking of the night

30' The game has slowed down in the last few minutes, but Jacobson is booked.

3 July 2020 8:07 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Drinks break

23' The first drinks break of the match has arrived and we all surely need it.

3 July 2020 8:05 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Visitors dominating

Wycombe are really on top of things. Fred Odenyima and Dominic Gape take resulting free kicks after corners, but neither are able to convert. Still, a signal of intent from Gareth Ainsworth's side.

3 July 2020 7:58 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Wycombe almost add a third!

11' The visitors go close again as Matt Bloomfield wins just outside the Fleetwood penalty area, but Joe Jacobson blazes over from just outside the box.

3 July 2020 7:51 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Wycombe re-take the lead!

GOAL! 7' This is a bonkers game so far. Souttar swings in a corner that Fleetwood keeper Alex Cairns accidentally puts in his own net to give Wanderers the lead again.

3 July 2020 7:48 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Fleetwood level from the spot!

GOAL! 4' The Wycombe goalkeeper Ryan Allsop takes down Lewis Gibson after Wes Burns does well to keep possession alive and the ref awards a penalty that Ched Evans coolly finishes in the bottom left corner.

3 July 2020 7:46 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Wycombe take the lead!

GOAL! 2' That was fast! Ofoborh with a brilliant first-time strike that leaves Cairns with no chance as the visitors get off to the perfect start!

3 July 2020 7:41 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

The match is underway!

We have kicked off at Highbury!

3 July 2020 7:38 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Starting line-ups

Here are the team sheets ahead of kick-off:

Fleetwood Town: Cairns, Coyle, Connolly, Suttar, Burns, Evans, Morris, Whelan, Coutts, Gibson, McKay

Wycombe Wanderers: Allsop, Jacobson, Gape, Stewart, Wheeler, Bloomfield, Grimmer, Charles, Onyedinma, Samuel, Ofoborh

3 July 2020 6:49 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Predicted line-ups

Fleetwood Town: Eastham, Coyle, Gibson, Souttar, Andrew, Connolly, Whelan, Coutts, Burns, Evans, McKay Wycombe Wanderers: Allsop, Jombati, Charles, Stewart, Jacobson, Freeman, Gape, Samuel, Akinfenwa, Wheeler

3 July 2020 5:30 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Team news

Fleetwood will welcome back Wes Burns into the side while Wycombe loses Iason McCarthy as the defender has seen his loan deal expire and has gone back to parent club Millwall.

3 July 2020 10:47 AM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

League One play-offs begin

It's been a month since the EFL League One clubs voted to curtail the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and head to the play-offs straightaway. 

With the table being decided on an unweighted points-per-game basis, Fleetwood finished sixth while Wycombe jumped from eighth all the way to third.

3 July 2020 10:39 AM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Welcome!

Welcome to VAVEL.com's live coverage of the EFL League One play-off semifinal between Fleetwood Town and Wycombe Wanderers.

 

My name is John Lupo and I'll be your host to provide you with team news, lineups and live action.

2 July 2020 11:53 PM BST
author
John LupoLive reporter

Kick-off time

Fleetwood Town vs Wycombe Wanderers will be played at the Highbury Stadium in Lancashire, England. Kick-off is at 18:30.

2 July 2020 5:45 PM BST