League One play-offs: Joey Barton says Fleetwood Town not out of Wycombe Wanderers tie

Wycombe finished third in League One after positions were decided on average points-per-game because of the coronavirus pandemic

Boss Joey Barton insists Fleetwood can turn around their League One play-off semi-final against Wycombe, despite losing the first leg 4-1 at home.

The Cod Army ended the game with nine men after Lewie Coyle and Paddy Madden were sent off, and will be without both for the trip to Adams Park.

Oxford or Portsmouth await the winners of that tie in the final at Wembley.

"We are still alive in this and whilst there's a fight, you've got a chance," said Barton.

"We will go there believing and give it everything we have got. If we come up short, we come up short.

"We've still finished in the play-offs, we've still finished above Sunderland, Ipswich and some big clubs to get this opportunity.

"It's a test of our character and we have got to climb up off the canvas, probably even underneath the canvas. We've got to get ourselves in a position to win the game, first and foremost, with enough time on the clock. Who knows what can happen?"

Wycombe are seeking promotion to the Championship for the first time in their 133-year history but boss Gareth Ainsworth is refusing to take a place in the final for granted.

"It does feel like I'm talking at half-time in a game, pride before a fall and dreaming of things," he told the club website.

"Let's get back to reality. We've got to make sure that we do a job in the same we did (on Friday) because that's going to be a crucial game in the club's hope to move out of this division."

Fitness key for Pompey - Morris

Marcus Browne's goal for Oxford ensured their play-off semi-final with Portsmouth is level at 1-1 going into the second leg

The other semi-final is finely balanced, with Oxford and Portsmouth level at 1-1 from Friday's draw at Fratton Park.

Ronan Curtis' opener for Pompey was cancelled out by a fine solo goal by the U's Marcus Browne.

But Portsmouth, who have failed to win in seven play-off matches, finished the game strongly and midfielder Bryn Morris believes that could give them the edge at the Kassam Stadium.

"I think that our fitness will come through because we ran all over them towards the end, but just didn't have that killer instinct," said Morris.

"I was able to get forward a lot more in the second half and that was because we had the momentum."

However, Oxford midfielder James Henry said there was plenty of room for improvement in Karl Robinson's side.

"We were disappointed with the way we started, we didn't impose our style on the game whatsoever," said Henry.

"It took a little rocket in their goal to get us going. We're going back to our place level-pegging, which sets us up just great."