Oxford United 0-2 Tranmere Rovers: Visitors win to reach Papa John's Trophy final

Kieron Morris' strike booked Tranmere's place at Wembley in this season's Papa John's Trophy final

Tranmere Rovers sprung a surprise at in-form League One side Oxford to reach the Papa John's Trophy final.

Kaiyne Woolery's fierce first-half strike set Rovers on the way to booking a fourth Wembley visit in five seasons.

Oxford's Matty Taylor blazed a penalty over and twice hit the woodwork before Kieron Morris' half-volley settled it.

Tranmere, sixth in League Two, will meet the winners of Wednesday's second semi between Sunderland and Lincoln City in the final on Sunday, 14 March.

The deferred 2019-20 final between Portsmouth and Salford City, delayed by almost a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, will be played 24 hours earlier on Saturday, 13 March.

There was a suspicion of handball in the build-up to Woolery's strike as he brushed past Josh Ruffels to advance to the edge of the box and fire an unstoppable effort in at Simon Eastwood's near post.

Morris' careless clip on Rob Atkinson gifted Oxford, losing Trophy finalists in 2016 and 2017, the opportunity to equalise from the spot but 11-goal top scorer Taylor ballooned over the bar.

Taylor's luck failed to improve from there as he struck the post after pouncing on Manny Monthe's error and clipped the top of the bar with a header from a corner.

Morris made Oxford pay for those misses by lashing home first time when a free-kick dropped to him 15 yards out to seal another trip to Wembley for Tranmere, who won play-off finals there in 2018 and 2019.

Oxford, who had won 11 of their previous 12 games in all competitions including a club record nine straight wins, looked disjointed for long spells after making seven changes but were left to rue the gilt-edged misses by Taylor, who also glanced a close-range header wide late on.

Reaction - 'Certain people let themselves down'

Oxford boss Karl Robinson told BBC Radio Oxford:

"It's a rubbish night, a terrible night. I'm feeling anger about the first half, frustration for the second half. I think for the first half our attitude was poor and we were second to everything.

"I'm pleased with the second-half performance but frustrated with the missed chances that we had.

"Certain players were miles off it and they know who they are. I will take responsibility as well, I picked the team so I have to look at myself as always but certain people let themselves down.

"The second half I thought we were OK. We hit the post, the bar, a penalty miss - it had everything it needed if a team below you is going to beat you. You have to miss your chances and that was certainly the case."

Tranmere manager Keith Hill told BBC Radio Merseyside:

"We were excellent, superb. You've got to give the lads credit, the way that they work, the way that they fight is brilliant. We could lose that football match but still be proud of the way they represented Tranmere Rovers.

"I'm really pleased that the competition is still alive, it's a major trophy for League One and League Two sides - to get to Wembley, in the early stages of the competition, it's a distant dream, but we've done it.

"Some of the victories we've had to get to Wembley - Manchester City, Peterborough, Leicester, now Oxford, who are an excellent, very attractive proposition to get promotion from League One.

"But we were excellent today. We needed the second goal - in the second half when they were bringing it on strong we rode our luck a little bit like with the penalty but we saw it out well after the second goal."