Charlie Lakin celebrates after scoring for WalsallPA Media

Charlie Lakin came off the bench to score at Walsall beat Chesterfield to reach the League Two play-off final

Chris Peddy
BBC Sport England

Walsall beat Chesterfield with a late flourish to secure their place in the League Two play-off final at Wembley.

Jubilant fans entered the pitch after Levi Amantchi scored in added time, moments after Armando Dobra's equaliser, as the Saddlers followed up Sunday's 2-0 victory with a second win over the Spireites in a week.

Substitute Charlie Lakin was set up by fellow sub Albert Adomah just six minutes after the pair came off the bench to give the hosts the lead on the night and open up a three-goal lead with less than 10 minutes remaining.

Dobra scored a consolation for the visitors in added time, before Amantchi made up for an earlier miss to send the Walsall fans into bedlam with next to no time left.

The restart had to be delayed as supporters came on to the pitch to celebrate, with flares dropped on the turf.

The Saddlers will face the winner of AFC Wimbledon and Notts County, who play on Saturday, in the final on Monday, 26 May.

Saddlers hit form again to reach Wembley

Charlie Lakin scores for WalsallRex Features

Lakin's goal put the Saddlers 3-0 up on aggregate

Walsall's decline through 2025 saw them relinquish a 12-point lead at the top of the table and miss out on automatic promotion on the final day of the season.

A run of 13 matches without a win was not the type of form they would have wanted to take into the play-offs but their final day victory at Crewe Alexandra has been followed up by two wins over the Spireites to take them to Wembley on the back of three wins in a row.

An early chance for Jamie Jellis showed the Saddlers were not going to sit on their two-goal lead from the first leg and they looked a constant threat when hitting their visitors on the break.

Jason Metcalfe and Aribim Pepple missed good chances for the visitors and they were made to pay when Lakin headed Walsall into the lead with just nine minutes left on the clock.

Dobra's late equaliser finally broke through the Saddlers' rearguard after more than 180 minutes of play.

But Amantchi, who had earlier missed a glorious chance to put the tie to bed when the hosts were through three on one, headed in Adomah's cross a minute later to send his side to the final.

'They won fair and square' - reaction

Walsall head coach Mat Sadler told BBC Radio WM:

"Obviously it's a fantastic evening. [There was] a real outpouring of emotion there with the support, I thought the supporters were unbelievable throughout.

"That togetherness has really shone through tonight.

"I'd urge everyone to enjoy the night who's connected with Walsall Football Club."

Chesterfield assistant manager Danny Webb told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"I felt over the two legs the scoreline doesn't lie. It was 4-1 on aggregate, I was disappointed with that so fair play to Walsall, they won fair and square.

"But we just felt there were moments in both games where we could have been better."

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