Accrington Stanley 2-2 AFC Wimbledon (2-3 agg)
- Published
Lyle Taylor's extra-time goal booked AFC Wimbledon a spot in the League Two play-off final after a thrilling semi-final second leg at Accrington Stanley.
Having lost the first leg 1-0, Stanley levelled the tie through Josh Windass' penalty after Scott Brown was fouled.
Piero Mingoia's screamer then put the hosts ahead, before Adebayo Akinfenwa's header took the game into extra time.
And Taylor slotted in to make it 2-2 on the night and send the Dons through to the final against Plymouth on 30 May.
Taylor's 104th-minute finish came after Jake Reeves had been denied by goalkeeper Ross Etheridge and provided a dramatic conclusion to a topsy-turvy contest, which was even temporarily halted during extra time because of floodlight failure.
It was also cruel on Accrington, who were denied automatic promotion on the final day of the league season on goal difference and looked to be heading to Wembley after Mingoia's superb 30-yard strike put them 2-1 ahead on aggregate.
Are Wimbledon on their way back up?
The Dons, appearing in the Football League play-offs for the first time since the phoenix club's formation in 2002, now also face their first competitive trip to the national stadium since Wimbledon's famous FA Cup win over Liverpool in 1988.
Manager Neal Ardley, who made over 300 appearances for the old Wimbledon FC, will lead them out at Wembley as the ninth-longest serving manager in the top four tiers of English football.
The 43-year-old guided the Dons to six victories from their eight final league fixtures to secure a seventh-placed finish in the table - and they are now just 90 minutes away from reaching the third tier for the first time.
- Published14 May 2016
- Published13 May 2016