Southend United 3-1 Stevenage (agg 4-2)

Southend's players collapse in relief after Michael Timlin's late goal ensured the Shrimpers will go to Wembley

Southend reached the League Two play-off final against Wycombe as extra-time goals from Stephen McLaughlin and Michael Timlin settled a dramatic tie.

Stevenage's Tom Pett put the visitors ahead from close range in the second half, before Ryan Leonard's powerful equaliser made it 2-2 on aggregate.

United striker Barry Corr missed a stoppage-time penalty to win the game at the end of normal time.

But McLaughlin's and Timlin's goals at Roots Hall sent Southend to Wembley.

With the tie level after a 1-1 draw at the Lamex Stadium on Sunday, the Shrimpers knew a home win would see them reach the play-off final at the third time of asking, after two semi-final defeats in the past four seasons.

The home side created the only real chances in a tense first half, with winger David Worrall forcing a good save out of goalkeeper Chris Day early on and Corr, who equalised for his side in Sunday's first leg, chipping the ball wide from close range.

Southend fans flooded onto the Roots Hall pitch in celebration following the final whistle

A Ben Kennedy strike which hit the side-netting was the closest the visitors came to a goal before the break, but in the second half they came out with renewed vigour and were rewarded with the opening goal.

Dean Parrett, who opened the scoring in the first leg with a stunning curling effort, picked up midfielder Simon Walton's corner on the edge of the box and sent an effort towards goal, which took a big deflection and bounced to Pett, who finished from six yards out.

Southend pushed for an immediate reply and defender Cian Bolger's low shot was brilliantly kept out by Day, who then did even better to save Joe Pigott's drive - but there was nothing he could do about the equaliser.

Substitute McLaughlin's deep cross to the far post found Leonard and the Shrimpers player had enough time and space to fire a shot into the roof of the net and bring Roots Hall to life.

Deep into stoppage time, Leonard, under pressure from Parrett, went down in the box and referee Graham Scott awarded the penalty, only for top scorer Corr to chip the spot-kick onto the top of the bar, ensuring the game went into extra-time.

At that stage, Southend, who missed out on automatic promotion on the final day of the season, may have feared this was not to be their year.

The hosts went closest in the first half of extra-time, with Corr heading wide and then almost redeeming himself for his missed spot-kick with a powerful low strike that Day somehow managed to deflect past his near post.

But the breakthrough finally came for Southend when full-back John White's measured cross was met by substitute McLaughlin's crisp diving header.

Timlin - who played in a headguard after having 15 stitches in a head wound on Sunday - added a third goal late in the game.

Southend boss Phil Brown:

"For Michael Timlin to get that goal...dear me! It emphasised the commitment that was shown to try to win the game. We never do things easy at this place - it doesn't seem that way anyway.

"I have made some big decisions in my life football-wise and that's probably the biggest, Michael Timlin to play.

"On Sunday he went in for that horrific challenge and their captain's laid out. In the 90th minute here he went into another header with a skullcap on - it was just the bravest performance I've seen from an individual in my managerial time."

Stevenage boss Graham Westley:

"They'll take so much confidence from this and there's a real chance in that dressing room that they can have a good season next year.

"We will see where things go from here. I am the Stevenage manager up until the end of May.

"There's been no offer to me. The club is having a serious re-think about what it's going to do for the future so we'll see how that pans out."

Substitute Tom Pett gave Stevenage the lead at Roots Hall

Barry Corr's late penalty miss sent the tie into extra-time

Stephen McLaughlin's header put Southend in front for the first time in the tie

Michael Timlin played in a headguard after having 15 stitches in a head wound sustained during the first leg